Boy With A Pearl Cufflink
by Raisinous Fiendling
Summary: CHAPTER 21 up! PREHBP. When Harry turned 11, he was convinced that the Hogwarts letters came from evil people, so he wished himself unfindable. Now, he's 16, Snape finds him, and Harry's in for a BIG surprise. HPSS. Better summary inside.
1. Finding Harry

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

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Chapter 1 

Today was not a good day. A part of Severus Snape, Potions Master Extraordinaire, cussed silently as his abused body landed on a sidewalk of a busily buzzing Muggle London street. He cracked an eye open and shut it quickly at the pain induced by the bright light. The Cruciatus was definitely his least favorite curse. Especially after he'd been under it for what seemed like ages. That and an array of other curses. Lord Voldemort did not take disobedience lightly. And apparently disobey Severus did. Being a spy for the light wasn't easy.

He sighed as he contemplated the possibility of getting up. No. Best stay still. He could feel his muscles convulsing in violent spasms. He needed potion. But the Dark Lord's servants knew what they were doing when they portkeyed the man into Muggle London. They knew he was in no state to Apparate himself. And they took the portkey Dumbledore provided. Oh god, Dumbledore. Severus cringed. The Hogwarts Headmaster was on the verge of collapsing. He needed rest, but he would have none. He threw all his resources into finding...the Boy Who Lived. The boy who, as a baby, defeated Voldemort. The boy who never responded to his Hogwarts letter and never came to Hogwarts when he turned 11. The boy who disappeared from Privet Drive, along with his foster family, and somehow became untraceable. No one could find him. Not the Muggle way, not the magical way. He was...gone. And with him all hope of defeating Voldemort. Yes, the Dark Lord was still weak. He'd been resurrected only months ago. But he was...invincible. That is, he could not be killed by anyone...save Harry Potter.

With a start, Severus came out of his thoughts as a car honked nearby, causing his overtaxed muscles to give a violent lurch. He groaned and tried to at least get onto his knees. He had to get off this street. Passerby Muggles were eyeing him strangely. He grimaced. None had offered to help. Though, in a way, he was grateful for it. They couldn't have done anything anyway. With another violent start he realized he was being spoken to.

"Sir? Sir?" A voice was coming from his right. "Are you all right?"

Hands helped him up and he found himself leaning on a teenage boy with brilliant emerald eyes and a strangely familiar face.

"Sir?" The boy was looking at him worriedly.

"I am perfectly fine," Snape grumbled and pushed himself away from the boy. His knees chose this moment to give out. Before he hit the pavement, however, he felt strong hands wrapping around him, holding him up. Once again he faced the strangely familiar boy. Meanwhile, the boy was talking.

"That's it," he was saying in a commanding voice, "you're coming with me. My house is just across the street. I'll get you fixed up."

Some of Severus' old sarcasm came up. "I thought you guys took people to _hospitals_," he grimaced, "to..._fix_ people up." _Drop me_, he ordered silently. He had no wish to go into a stupid Muggle's house. Though why did the boy look so damn familiar?

But the boy wasn't affected. "Yes, well, hospitals aren't always the best thing. I can help you. I have what could be called...a Knack for certain things."

Supporting Severus' weight, the strange boy led him across the street and up the steps of a shabby house.

"By the way," he said as he fitted a key into the lock, "my name is Harry. What's yours?"

Recognition flooded Severus' mind. No...it couldn't be him... could it? His eyes shot to the boy's forehead. It was covered by hair. He couldn't see. But the resemblance...he looked just like James. For the first time in many years, the greasy Potions Master prayed to God that this strange young man was indeed him...Harry Potter.

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Okay, I know this was really short, and I'm sorry. But if you review I'll write the next chapter as soon as possible. So please review! Pretty please? 


	2. Soul Speak

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you recognize.  
  
WARNING: This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations.  
  
SUMMARY: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

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Chapter 2  
  
Lost in thought as to the best way to go about confirming the boy's identity, Severus barely noticed how he was led to and forcefully pushed onto a shabby couch. Though, upon inspection, it was actually pretty comfortable. Very comfortable, discovered Snape as he laid out his tired limbs in the best way possible. He sighed. For some reason he felt completely safe and at ease, as if in the house of a long-time friend. He eyed his surrounding with interest. The room he was in was fairly small, and made smaller by the fact that along all the walls stood shelves upon shelves of books and, strangely, stacks of dried herbs. Looking at the ceiling he discovered that there, too, hung many an herb – only some of them known to Severus. Opposite the couch, the room merged into the kitchen, providing an unobstructed view of the tidy table and the few kitchen appliances. Nothing in the room suggested that it was inhabited by more than one person. Snape frowned. If this was Potter, then where were his relatives?  
  
At this moment, Harry returned from the kitchen with a glass of water. Wordlessly, he kneeled beside Severus and helped him drink. As he drank, Snape realized his hands were shaking badly and his throat had been parched. He wondered at the boy's insight. Slowly, he began questioning.  
  
"Where are your...parents?" he asked carefully.  
  
"Hmm?" The boy – Harry – seemed deep in thought. "Oh. They, um... I live with my uncle and aunt. Sort of." He laughed. "They, uh... separated the house in two. We have separate entrances. Technically, we live together, but... I rarely see them." He shrugged. "I'm all the more grateful for it, really. It's peaceful."  
  
Severus' heart made a little jump. So far so good. Meanwhile, his body still hurt. A lot. He tried to suppress a groan, but failed miserably.  
  
The sound made Harry snap out of his thoughts. "Right," he said. "Now tell me... these...spasms...were induced artificially? They aren't a medical condition?"  
  
Snape nodded. "Artificial, yes," he clarified.  
  
"All right," Harry pursed his lips. "Hmm...I think some muscle relaxant would help, yes?"  
  
Snape nodded mutely.  
  
"But not completely," continued musing the strange boy. "I'll have to listen to you, I guess. Don't worry, won't take long."  
  
Listen to him? What did the boy mean? Snape wondered. Meanwhile, Harry was already walking back from the kitchen.  
  
"Take off your robe," he ordered. "And shirt. And lie on your stomach."  
  
Snape goggled.  
  
Harry sighed. "Making the kind of muscle relaxant you ingest would take hours. It's a complicated mix. So you'll have to bear with the rub-on kind. I made some last night."  
  
Strangely unashamed, Snape complied, turning his head so he could see the boy, hoping for a glimpse of his forehead.  
  
"Okay," said Harry as he spread some salve onto Severus' back. "I think we'll content ourselves with just your back. Once these muscles let go, most others will follow."  
  
Snape knew he looked skeptical.  
  
Harry smiled. "Trust me. I use it every morning."  
  
Before he could wonder why, Snape felt his eyes close of their own will as he struggled not to purr at the wonderful sensations the boy's hands were eliciting in his body. The wonderful hands not only rubbed, but also kneaded and massaged the man's flesh, searching out the knots and attacking them firmly but gently. Severus realized that he _was_ purring at the delicious feeling of his body finally relaxing. The boy was right, his whole body was slowly letting go, and though he was still in pain it wasn't as bad anymore and his muscles stopped giving those violent lurches. He couldn't help but groan appreciatively.  
  
Harry chuckled. "I see that's much better," he said. "Not good enough, though. Lie still."  
  
Wordlessly, the boy kneeled beside the couch and went completely motionless. Severus felt his palms just merely brushing his back, moving in slow circles. He wondered what was going on, but was entranced in the spell of it all, lost in the feel of those hands. For a while, total silence reigned.  
  
Wanting to know what was going on, Severus cracked an eye open, expecting a look of total concentration on the boy's face. Instead, he was entranced in a different way as he saw the boy's angelic face, totally relaxed, the soft mouth curving into a barely perceptible smile. Snape stared.  
  
Finally, Harry whispered, almost in awe, "Your body has a beautiful voice...Though it speaks of much pain." After a few moments, he pulled his hands away. Snape whimpered silently at the loss. Harry smiled as he stood and walked to the kitchen.  
  
"I know what to do," he said cheerfully. "It won't take long."  
  
Almost waltzing, he went around the room, humming softly as he gathered various herbs. Severus found himself staring once more at the inspiration- driven boy. He knew what the boy was feeling. The inspiration, the rush of making a potion. He knew it well. Unable to draw his gaze away, he stared at the boy's hands as they chopped, minced, and prepped the herbs. Finally, though, his curiosity got the better of him.  
  
"Um..." he ventured. "My body has a voice?"  
  
"Of course," replied Harry cheerfully, his hands never faltering. "Every body has a voice."  
  
"And what is this voice?" part of Snape thought this was absurd.  
  
"Your soul, of course," shrugged Harry. "You didn't think all of it was in your head, did you? No. Your soul is in your entire body. And it speaks."  
  
"Nonsense," snorted Severus.  
  
"No?" Harry chuckled. "So you _didn't_ break an arm two weeks ago?"  
  
For a moment Snape was speechless. "How..." he stuttered finally. "How did you know?" Memories of the last Death Eater meeting flashed before his eyes, along with the sound of his bones snapping painfully.  
  
Harry shrugged, turning on the stove and dropping the herbs into a small pot. "Your body told me."  
  
Snape gave up. He was ready to believe. "Fine, then," he said. "So what makes my voice so beautiful?"  
  
Harry looked up and straight into Severus' eyes for a moment. "Your heart, of course," he said finally.  
  
Snape stared. He didn't understand this boy. "Why did you help me?" he asked suddenly.  
  
Harry smiled, his eyes lighting up and keeping contact with Severus'. "Because my heart told me so."  
  
Snape wondered at the boy's ability to make him speechless.  
  
A few minutes later, he was brought out of his musings by a cheerful exclamation.  
  
"Done!" announced Harry. "This should do the trick."  
  
He carried a small cup of the potion back to Severus. "Here," he said. "It cools fast."  
  
As Snape reached to take the cup, he looked up at the boy and forgot to breathe. Time seemed to crash to a halt as he gazed upon the boy's forehead. There, among the darkish hair of his fringe, a scar was plainly seen. The famous scar. The lightning bolt.  
  
Harry Potter had finally been found.

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Thank you so much, all my wonderful reviewers!!!! **ambrezwenko**,** Mikee**,** a spy undercover**,** ldypebsaby**,** IcyCrystal**,** macca**,** Tigris T Draconis**,** DaughterofDeath**,** ClothoLachesisAtropo**,** Winnie2**,** DarkLights**,** Miki23**, and **Jazzylady**!! You guys are awesome!! You have no idea how happy you made me!!! And please review this chapter too? Thanks! 


	3. Look Through My Eyes

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you recognize.  
  
WARNING: This WILL EVENTUALLY be **SLASH**, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied **MPREG**, meaning Male Pregnancy.  
  
SUMMARY: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

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Chapter 3  
  
His mind reeling with plans of bringing Harry to Hogwarts, Severus brought the cup to his lips and steeled himself. He knew good-tasting potions were rare. His own anti-Cruciatus potion was by no means good. Tasted like old socks, really. With a big gulp Severus emptied the cup. And was once again struck speechless. He goggled at Harry, his mouth still savoring the delicious aftertaste of the mixture.  
  
Seeing his facial expression, Harry threw back his head and laughed loudly. "You didn't think I'd make you drink something horrible, did you? What did you expect, old socks?"  
  
Snape blushed and mumbled something unintelligible.  
  
"But tell me," Harry's expression became serious. "Is it working? I can never be completely sure."  
  
Snape cocked his head and focused on his body. "Incredible..." he finally whispered. All traces of the Cruciatus were gone. He felt better than he had in days! For the first time, Snape looked at Harry and saw not just a boy, but a master of his craft. "Thank you..." he said softly and smiled.  
  
Harry's smile could light a thousand suns.  
  
Meanwhile, Snape decided to talk to Harry in the most direct way possible. He couldn't afford weaving nets or speaking in less-than-plain language. He had to get the boy to believe, and to come to Hogwarts, immediately.  
  
"Harry..." he began. "When you were eleven...did you...get a Hogwarts letter? It would be on old-fashioned parchment, with fancy cursive writing? It would depict exactly where you..." Snape found himself trailing off as Harry paled greatly and slowly backed away.  
  
"No..." muttered Harry, "you couldn't be one of them..." The boy looked...scared almost. But of what?  
  
"One of who?" questioned Severus carefully. He couldn't frighten the boy.  
  
"The bad people," stuttered Harry. "My aunt said... she said the people who wrote the letters...they were evil. They killed my parents and wanted to kill me." His hand went to his forehead. "Tell me you're not..." he was becoming almost hysterical. "Tell me you're not one of them!!"  
  
Snape was lost. Slowly he rose from the couch and approached Harry. The boy backed away.  
  
"Harry..." tried Snape. "Listen to me. You have it wrong. Yes, I'm with Hogwarts, but we're not the bad people. Yes, an evil man killed your parents, but we are working against him!"  
  
Disbelief was evident in the boy's face.  
  
"Harry, you listened to my body," said Snape in desperation. He couldn't lose the boy! "Did you hear evil?"  
  
Harry looked him in the eye. "You've done evil things before. Horrible things." But something changed in him. He was starting to calm down.  
  
"Please listen to me," pleaded Snape. "I'm telling the truth."  
  
For a moment, Harry was still, contemplating something. Then, slowly, hesitantly, he led Severus back to the couch and made him sit down. He silently kneeled before him.  
  
"Talk," he whispered, and gazed deep into Severus' coal-black eyes. Assaulted by a brilliant fiery inferno of the boy's eyes, Snape started talking. He talked about magic, about Hogwarts, about the beautiful Lily Evans and the ever-so-popular James Potter, about Lord Voldemort and the prophecy, a tiny boy, and a lighting bolt shaped scar. In him, a hope was being born. But Harry turned away.  
  
"I can't see," he whispered. "It's a closed door." He started moving away.  
  
"No, please!" Severus grabbed the boy's arm. "I'll open it. Please."  
  
Harry consented. Again he looked into Snape's eyes.  
  
Through sheer force of will, Snape let go of his Occlumency skills and – for the first time in decades – laid his soul out for someone to see. As he gazed into Harry's eyes, time seemed to slow down as he melted into something unimaginably intimate – a sense of closeness he had never felt before. Inside the boy's emerald eyes a fire was burning – a fire so bright and strong it could burn anything in its path if it was not so...gentle...even loving... The fire was captivating, and Severus knew he was lost, drawn like moth to the flame, and consumed in his entirety by...passion.  
  
Slowly, Harry blinked and broke the eye contact. A small smile was spreading on his face.  
  
"I believe you," he whispered softly. "When do we leave?"  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Collecting Harry's things didn't prove too difficult. In a half hour, they were ready to go. After taking the boy's potion, Snape was sure he could dual-Apparate them into his chambers.  
  
Almost shyly, Harry took Severus' hand and held it tight. He was trembling ever so slightly. Snape stifled the urge to hold him close.  
  
"Close your eyes," he whispered. The boy obeyed instantly.  
  
With a soft pop, the two men disappeared to reappear split seconds later in a private room deep in the heart of Severus' chambers.  
  
"Okay," said Snape. "We're here."  
  
Harry opened his eyes in wonder. They were in a small, empty room, with one door and a coat-hanger. Under his questioning gaze, Snape shrugged. "It's only for Apparating into or from."  
  
From the depths of his heavy robes, Severus fished out a small key and fitted it into the lock.  
  
"You ready?" he asked softly.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
With a soft click, the door was open.  
  
As the two men walked out into a dimly lit chamber, a flurry of red threw itself onto Severus. Or, rather, _him_self.  
  
"Sev!!" exclaimed a tall thin man with freckles and wild bright red hair. "You're back!! I was so worried." Severus cringed ever so slightly as he was kissed soundly by the read-head.  
  
Harry looked at him in confusion. Snape ducked his head in shame, unable to meet the boy's eye after they'd shared something as intimate as that less than a full hour ago.  
  
"Harry..." he cleared his throat and hesitated, cheeks burning.  
  
"Meet Bill," he forced out finally. "My...lawful......husband."

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**RF's note, please read**: Now I know what you're thinking. You can't Apparate into Hogwarts!! And technically you're right. But this isn't a mistake and it will be explained in the near future. A couple things I wanted to say: First of all, I am sorry but the chapters probably will not get longer. I sort of have these places where I feel I MUST break off the chapter. So I'm sorry. Also, I'm sorry to say that I will **NOT** be updating every day as did with these first 3 chapters. I'm pretty busy, so though I will update fairly often it will not be every day. Plus, I want to give each chapter at least two full days to be reviewed. Which means that I will never update more often than every other evening. Sorry, guys. As far as the story goes, the next chapters will see a shift to Harry's POV, though I will not recount the story but will just pick up where this chappie leaves off. And now the main point – **thank you so much, all my wonderful amazing reviewers!!!!** You make me VERY VERY happy!!!!

People who have reviewed Chap 2: **lmill123**,** Wolflady**,** Miki23**,** Lady FoxFire**,** SuziJ**,** Quashi**,** ldypebsaby**,** blubb-blubb**,** ClothoLachesisAtropo**,** Tigris T Draconis**,** barbarataku**,** DeathzBeauty**,** Jazzylady**,** severusdraco**,** Lady Phasma**,** athenakitty**,** SailorBaby16**,** SerpentSlaveChik**,** SheWolfe7**,** Winnie2**,and** RtisTykSyko**!  
  
Again, thank you guys so much!! And please review the next chappie too?  
  
And if anyone out there is reading the story but not reviewing, then please review? Even if you have nothing really to say, just drop a short review saying you read it? Thanks everyone!! Remember, **the more reviews I get the faster I'll write**!!


	4. On Wishes, Secrets, and Homes

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you recognize.  
  
WARNING: This WILL EVENTUALLY be **SLASH**, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied **MPREG**, meaning Male Pregnancy.  
  
SUMMARY: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

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**RF's note**: Wow, a long chappie!! I'm proud of myself. Guys, I just wanna say something. You know, I've noticed that many people who have me on author alert haven't left any reviews. And while I'm really happy that you're reading my story, I would be _Much_ happier if you guys review after you read a chapter. Really, it doesn't take that long, and you don't have to say anything special! A simple 'I read this' is enough. Please? Make me happy, guys. And I'll write faster.

* * *

**RF's note #2, please read**: Just to clarify something: YES, this is HP/SS. NO, Snape will NOT have an affair with Harry while he is still married to Bill. They will fall in love, but won't act upon it, knowing that Sev is married. And I'm sorry to say that Bill does stick around for a long time. But all will work out! Just be patient!

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Chapter 4  
  
Harry was confused. _Very_ confused.  
  
Sure, the fact that he had magic wasn't new, but everything else...  
  
And Albus Dumbledore wasn't making it any easier. So far Harry had been offered tea, some biscuits, more tea, lemon drops, and then more tea. Sure, he liked tea. But on the fifth cup he had to decline.  
  
He was brought out of his thoughts by a soft "pop". Thankfully, the endless pot of tea finally disappeared. Harry saw relief evident in Severus' face.  
  
"So," Dumbledore looked at Harry over his half-moon glasses. "Tell us how it came that you...disappeared."  
  
Harry sighed. "Well," he said. "Frankly...I don't know. I remember getting a letter shortly before I turned eleven. My uncle and aunt really freaked out. They discussed it for a few days, and then one day while Dudley – my cousin - wasn't home they called me into the living room to talk. They..." he hesitated. "They told me that the letter was a trick. That it was sent by some evil men who had corrupted and killed my parents. That they wanted to kill me too." Harry looked down. "I believed them. I had no reason not to. At that time... my... gift...hadn't developed yet. I suppose I did sense something from them, and was assured by this sense that they were telling the truth. I thought I sensed anger and fear. Which made me think that they were angry at the people for..." he swallowed. "...Killing Mom. And were afraid. Upon reflection, what I sensed was probably hatred and fear. Hatred and fear of all things magical." He smiled sadly. "My senses worked against me. So I was convinced. And scared like hell. The following day we moved to a different house. As we were driving away, I remember thinking fervently '_I hope no one finds me. I hope no one ever finds me_.'" He laughed. "And no one ever did."  
  
For a moment the three men were silent.  
  
"Is it possible?" said Severus finally, "could he have made it happen by just wishing it and wanting it to happen?"  
  
The Headmaster smiled. "I think Harry is capable of quite a bit more than that. But tell us--" he directed his question to Harry, "—how, then, did Severus find you?"  
  
Harry looked down and shrugged. A memory was playing in his mind. One he wasn't willing to share.  
  
He'd been walking back from work when he saw an ad in a store window: "Need a present for that special someone? Well, come right in! We've got it ALL!" He had sighed then. And thought repeatedly, almost desperately, 'I wish I could find _my_ special someone.' Somehow he thought he could make it come true by just thinking it. Moments later he stumbled across Severus. He thought accidents like that didn't happen.  
  
But apparently, he was wrong. The man was married, no doubt happily. Harry couldn't stand a chance, nor did he want to break up the man's family. No matter how good being with him felt. No matter how right it seemed. No matter...  
  
With a start Harry realized that while he was deep in thought the conversation was still going on. Now Severus and Dumbledore were staring at him intently.  
  
"Sorry," he blushed. "I'm sort of tired."  
  
"I'm sure you are," smiled Dumbledore. "Severus was just saying that it's possible that you stumbled upon each other because he was not intent on finding you. It was, in all probability, a coincidence."  
  
"Yeah..." murmured Harry. "A coincidence..."  
  
Somehow he still didn't believe that. And, by the look in his eyes, neither did Severus. Harry pushed the thought away.  
  
Meanwhile, the Headmaster was speaking again. "...for the present time you shall live in Severus' chambers, he has more than enough room and I'm sure Bill wouldn't mind. Come by and see me tomorrow so we can work on how you're going to catch up in your studies."  
  
"What about Voldemort, sir?" Harry was bewildered. He was already being dismissed?  
  
"All that later, my child," twinkled Dumbledore's eyes. "For now I suggest you go down to the Great Hall and grab some supper. And then – bed."  
  
"Speaking of that..." muttered Snape, taking out his wand. With a deep sigh, he pointed the wand straight at the Headmaster. "Sorry, Albus, but you need your sleep, and if I don't do this you won't get any." He apologized again and muttered something under his breath.  
  
Dumbledore smiled, sighed deeply, and fell into a deep sleep. Within a few moments he was levitated onto the couch and covered with a blanket.  
  
Harry chuckled, watching Snape take care of the Headmaster. "You really care about him, don't you?" he asked mirthfully.  
  
Snape grunted something unintelligible.  
  
"Come on," said Harry. "You'll show me this Great Hall of yours."

* * *

As he entered the Great Hall, Harry looked around curiously. He saw four tables for students, and one that was apparently for teachers, but now almost empty. He contemplated which table he should sit at. He'd heard about the four houses from Severus, but had no idea which table was for which house. He sighed and simply let his feet and feelings guide him.  
  
Soon he was sitting across from a boy seemingly his age, with red hair and freckles who reminded him strongly of Bill. Not too pleasant a reminder. With a barely audible sigh he started eating. Moments later, however, he stopped, as he realized that the boy was staring at him intently. He sighed again and met the boy's eyes questioningly. No response. A smart-looking girl with bushy brown hair elbowed the boy sharply and whispered loudly, "Ron! Stop staring!!"  
  
The boy – Ron – didn't stop. "It's...you're..." he stuttered.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh. "Hi!!" he said cheerfully. "I'm Harry Potter. And you are?...?"  
  
"Hermione Granger," said the girl. "And this is Ron Weasley. You'll have to forgive him. He'll come out of the stupor in a while. You're just somewhat of a hero him. We're glad you've finally been found! So when did you get here?"  
  
"Right." Said Harry. "Um, Sev...er...Professor Snape Apparated us into his chambers maybe an hour ago."  
  
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Hermione. "Everyone knows you can't Apparate into Hogwarts. You must have used a portkey!"  
  
"No..." said Harry uncertainly. "I'm sure we Apparated."  
  
"That's impossible," said Hermione firmly.  
  
"Okay," said Harry. "Say, um, Ron wouldn't happen to have a brother, would he?"  
  
"Oh yes, he does, and not just one!" smiled the girl. "You probably met at least one of them already. He's married to Professor Snape."  
  
That brought Ron out of the stupor.  
  
"That git Snape!" he exclaimed with a passion. "I can't believe my parents arranged for him to marry Bill!! Why _Ever_ did they do that?"  
  
"Their marriage was arranged?" Harry couldn't believe his ears.  
  
"You bet! Who would marry _Snape_ out of their own free will? Of course it was arranged! They don't even love each other."  
  
Harry's smile and brilliant eyes sent many a girl a-drooling.

* * *

Harry yawned and stretched like a cat. He was really sleepy. And the cozy fireplace in front of which he and Severus were currently sitting was making him even sleepier.  
  
Severus chuckled. "Tired?" he asked.  
  
"Oh yes," said Harry, stifling another yawn.  
  
"Well, if you don't have any questions, you are free to go to sleep."  
  
They had spent the past few hours talking about things and introducing Harry to the wonderful world of magic.  
  
Harry blinked thoughtfully. "Actually, just one. This girl I met today...Hermione...she said people can't Apparate into Hogwarts. But didn't we?"  
  
Snape smiled. "Well, she's pretty much right. You'll find that Hermione is almost never wrong. But, yes, we did Apparate."  
  
"So then...how?"  
  
"Let me try to explain." Severus looked at Harry thoughtfully. "Imagine that there is a ward bubble around Hogwarts that doesn't allow anyone to Apparate into it. Now imagine that this bubble is elastic and someone took a great big magical finger and started gently pushing on it. The bubble gives in, but doesn't break – it simply stretches. So the finger keeps pushing and pushes all the way down to the room into which we Apparated today. It then holds the bubble there until it solidifies. This, in effect, is what was done here. So now there is a tunnel from the outside world down into the room. When we are in that room we are, in effect, standing on the outside of the ward bubble. Therefore the room is actually part of the outside so we can Apparate into or from it."  
  
Harry smiled. "Okay. That makes sense. But wouldn't that mean that everything above the room is also on the outside, because it's in the tunnel?"  
  
"Correct," said Severus. "But it's mostly solid rock. And one small broom closet."  
  
"Neat!" said Harry. "But why did y'all do that? Surely it was a lot of work."  
  
"True. But we did it. Partly to provide a fast means of getting to or from Hogwarts."  
  
"And partly...?"  
  
"And partly...because of what I do." Snape tried to elude the question.  
  
"And what do you do?" Harry wasn't thrown off easily.  
  
"I spy," said Snape.  
  
"I know that already!" exclaimed Harry impatiently – Severus didn't keep this a secret from the boy. "But what else?"  
  
"Well, I teach..."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I paint..." murmured Snape finally. And blushed harder than ever before.

* * *

Harry and Severus were once again inside the Apparating room. Severus walked to the wall opposite the door and pulled out his wand.  
  
"Some of my models don't want to be seen and it's more convenient for them to Apparate straight to here. The place is warded, of course, very heavily. It has anti-Apparating wards too, but they're selective and I can modify them to let certain people in. I'm the only one who has the key to this room, and I'm the only one that uses the room – plus my models."  
  
Harry smiled. "Severus, you're stalling. Where's the studio?"  
  
Snape blushed once again. Muttering something under his breath, he drew a symbol in the air in front of the wall, and a previously hidden door was revealed."  
  
Still blushing, Snape let Harry in.  
  
For a while Harry just stared. Then he smiled brilliantly. The room was beautiful in its simplicity. Half-dark and slightly dusty, with easels and various paints and canvasses scattered throughout, it was what could be called an 'inspired mess'. It conveyed the message of something sacred, something to be treasured, a peacefulness not known to many. Stepping forward slowly, Harry touched one of the easels reverently. The painting was covered, and he knew not to ask to see it. Slowly, he walked around the peaceful room, taking it all in.  
  
"You don't let many people in here, do you?" he asked quietly. Talking loudly seemed a crime.  
  
Severus shook his head. "Only the models and...well...you."  
  
Harry cocked his head. "Not even Bill?"  
  
Severus frowned slightly. "No... he is not of this world."  
  
Harry smiled. "You love this place, don't you?"  
  
Snape shrugged. "Yeah... you know, chambers are chambers... but this is..." he trailed off. He wasn't sure he knew what to say.  
  
Harry looked him in the eye and smiled again, ever so softly. "It's home," he whispered.

Severus was stunned. Harry understood. He understood perfectly. No one else ever did. Suddenly feeling tears in his eyes, he nodded curtly, and left room. He couldn't fall for this boy...he couldn't... But who was he kidding... He'd fallen long ago.

* * *

**RF's note!!** BIG THANKS to everyone who reviewed my story!!! Once again, you guys are awesome!!! And don't forget to review this chappie also!!  
  
People who have reviewed chappie 3:  
  
**Miki23**,** athenakitty**,** Nicoletta**,** hoshi-tachi**,** lunadea21**,** ambrezwenko**,** ldypebsaby**,** Kou Da Cutie**,** Winnie2**,** Mikee**,** lillinfields**,** starangel2106**,** Sykoticstalker27**,** OrestesMyPet**,** OhioGrl-HPFan**,** Kees**,** leenix**,** MaraWeaves**,** ClothoLachesisAtropo**,** wolfawaken**,** DarkLights**,** Lutheyl **(I actually both read the book and watched the movie. And liked some ideas in it),** Iced Flame**,** Meghan2**,** SerpentSlaveChik**,** Shika**,** Aulili**,** crazy-lil-nae-nae**,** texasjeanett**,** oracale**,** agge**, and** SheWolfe7**!!  
  
**_THANKS FOR MAKING ME HAPPY!!!!_**


	5. Great Expectations

**DISCLAIMER**: I own nothing you recognize.  
  
**WARNING**: This WILL EVENTUALLY be **SLASH**, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied **MPREG**, meaning Male Pregnancy.  
  
**SUMMARY**: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

* * *

Chapter 5  
  
The following morning as Harry entered the Great Hall to grab some breakfast, he was happy to see that Ron and Hermione had reserved a seat for him at their table and were beckoning him over enthusiastically. Settling down opposite the pair, Harry glanced into Ron's, and then Hermione's eyes briefly but carefully. One look was enough. He smiled slightly. Dumbledore had asked the two to be friends with him. However, he saw that their desire to be friends was genuine. There was no falseness in it. He'd found his first real friends at Hogwarts. He grinned, but then frowned slightly. Well...that is, besides Severus. If crushes could be considered friends. He pushed the thought away. He did _not_ have a crush on Severus. He did _not_...

* * *

Snape couldn't stop staring at Harry. Countless times he ordered himself to tear his gaze away, but found it impossible. The boy was enchanting. And beautiful. So innocent...and at the same time, so wise. He closed his eyes with a visible effort, only to find an image of Harry imprinted on the backs of his eyelids, and firmly entrenched in his mind. 

"Dammit, you're a married man, Snape," he muttered to himself.

From his left, Flitwick stared at him oddly. Neither the words nor the stare seemed to help. Already Severus' eyes were drifting back to the boy. As he watched Harry interact with his brother-in-law – Severus shuddered at the thought – and the know-it-all, he suddenly noticed something he hadn't seen before. Prior to this moment he had the impression that Harry's hair was perhaps neck-length, slicked back behind his ears. But now, with a start, Snape realized that Harry's hair, in fact, disappeared under the collar of his shirt. Sifting through the memories of his interactions with the boy, he realized too that he'd never seen him tuck stray hairs back under the collar. Which meant his hair had to be pretty long... Severus was intrigued... Just how long was it? Suddenly his mind was invaded with a daydream of running his hands through that wonderful hair, perhaps shoulder-blade length or longer... So soft to the touch... Snape shook his head, batting the image away. Looking at Harry once again, he did his best to hide his glare as he saw just who was approaching the happy trio.

* * *

"Well, well, well..." drawled a voice behind Harry's back, "if it isn't the _famous_ Harry Potter." The words were spat like the worst kind of insult.  
  
"Sod off," said Ron and Hermione in unison, ready to defend their newfound friend. But Harry smiled slightly and turned around, getting up and extending his hand.  
  
"Hello," he said, totally unfazed, to the owner of the voice – a tall, slim boy with almost black hair but icy blue eyes. "I am indeed Harry Potter. And you are?..."  
  
The boy looked at Harry's hand like it was cow dung.  
  
"The name is Draco," he spat. "And you'll do well to remember it." An evil sneer made its way onto his face. "If the rumors are true," his sneer became even more malicious, "then we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other..._Potter_." Without another word, the boy walked off.  
  
Only slightly put off, Harry turned back to his friends. However, he never got to ask who the boy was, as he saw Severus exiting the Hall. That was his cue. Hastily saying goodbye, he made his way outside. He had another meeting with Dumbledore to attend.

* * *

"Surely you're kidding, Albus!!" exclaimed Severus, exasperated.  
  
"I'm afraid not, my boy. Rules are rules." Dumbledore smiled his fatherly smile.  
  
"That's _bull_! You've bent the rules before!"  
  
"I am sorry, Severus. I cannot change this." Albus' gaze became more stern.  
  
Defeated, Snape slumped on his chair. "Harry Potter a servant in my home... you've _got_ to be kidding..."  
  
"Really, I don't mind, sir," said Harry tentatively. "I'd actually enjoy it."  
  
Snape snorted disbelievingly.  
  
Harry smiled. He couldn't believe his luck! Severus had decided to take him as an apprentice!!! He was ready to jump with joy! And so what if by the ancient rules apprentices lived with their masters and acted somewhat like domestic servants, cleaning and running errands? That was fine by him! He liked manual labor like that. And helping Severus around his chambers – and maybe even in his studio! – was almost a dream come true. Well...except that Bill could order him around...But Harry would deal. He smiled.  
  
Meanwhile, Albus started talking again. "So. I am sure Severus has filled you in on everything dealing with Voldemort, correct?"  
  
Sobering up, Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."  
  
"How do you feel about that? Any questions?" asked Dumbledore seriously.  
  
"Well...I'm scared," admitted Harry. "I mean, I don't know any real magic!"  
  
Severus shot him a look.  
  
"...But at the same time," continued Harry. "I feel like...I can do this. I can make the monster pay." He blushed slightly. Snape stared.  
  
"Good!" exclaimed Albus joyfully. "That's the spirit, my boy!"  
  
Severus knew he looked skeptical.  
  
"So," continued Albus. "Now...what to do about your classes..."  
  
After sifting through the mess on his desk for a while, with a joyous "Aha!" Albus fished out a piece of paper.  
  
"Well..." he pushed his glasses up his nose. "The teachers and I put together a class schedule for you. For now, during the morning you will attend first-year classes, to get the hang of things. In the afternoon you will have private sessions with your teachers, where you will be taught everything you missed out on over the years. Mind--" the Headmaster looked at Harry sternly. "--it will be very intense. Your workload will be twice – if not three times – that of other students. But I am sure you will do fine." Harry nodded. "Now... as you progress, you will gradually begin attending higher classes – second-year, third, until you catch up with your peers. With the right mindset and dedication, you should accomplish this by the beginning of the year – provided you study in the summer. Any questions?"  
  
"Well..." Harry shrugged. "What about my apprenticeship?"  
  
"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore. "Severus will have sessions with you just like your other teachers, albeit more often, but he may – and will – also schedule extra sessions, where he will teach you Potions, more in-depth Defense Against The Dark Arts and anything else he sees fit. He also has the power to pull you out of any of your other classes at any given time. Sounds good?"  
  
Harry nodded, but then looked up again. "Er...my friends said something about...a Sorting?"  
  
"Indeed!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "I nearly forgot!"  
  
Getting up, Dumbledore retrieved an old, worn, wizard's hat from one of the numerous shelves in his office, talking all the while. "Even though you're an apprentice, Harry, I feel it would be best if you were still sorted into a particular house – just so you could earn points for a house every time you achieve something, as I am sure you will. Now, there are four houses. Though..." he turned to look at Harry. "You should already know all that, from your friends."  
  
Harry nodded. A second later, he jumped about a foot in the air as the old hat started talking.  
  
"You _must_ be joking, Albus!" it croaked. "You want me to sort a sixteen year old boy, and do it fairly? That's impossible."  
  
"Now..." started Albus, but was interrupted by the hat.  
  
"Don't 'now' me! An eleven-year-old's heart is still unobstructed by much experience, and their true nature shines through so I can make an accurate choice. But a sixteen-year-old? There's no way!"  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "Well...just give it a try, won't you?"  
  
Still grumbling, the hat let itself be set onto Harry's head. Suddenly, it gasped.  
  
"By Merlin!!" it exclaimed, voice full of awe, making Severus jump from his seat.  
  
"What, what is it?" chorused Severus and Albus together.  
  
"Merlin..." whispered the hat. "Not to be redundant, but...I think the House of Merlin has just been re-opened..."

* * *

**RF's note!** Yes, I know what you're thinking about Draco. Just be patient.

* * *

**RF's note 2!!** So... I am a little sad because many people who have me on author alert still haven't reviewed anything... sigh...  
  
**BUT!!!** All of you who reviewed, **_thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!_** Really, finding all your reviews in my email box in the mornings and afternoons makes me SO happy!!! It's like Christmas!!! Thank you, guys. And guess what?!! We're close to 100 reviews!! 99, to be exact!!! Can we try for at least 30-50 more for this chapter? Thanks!!  
  
People who have reviewed Chapter 4: **Miki23**,** Kaaera**,** Tigris T Draconis**,** lessa**,** Meghan2**,** SerpentSlaveChik**,** starangel2106**,** athenakitty**,** Aulili**,** AtanvarneK**,** Lingo** (yes),** oracale**,** Iced Flame**,** TommieBoy182**,** OrestesMyPet**,** Kou Da Cutie**,** texasjeanette**,** Crissy Potter**,** pixyfairy120**,** Misa**,** Nicoletta**,** MaraWeaves**,** Stray Ricochet**,** severusdraco**,** kiayea**,** Wolflady**,** E.A.Saraby**,** Dea Puella**,and** SheWolfe7**!!!  
  
**_THANKS A WHOLE BUNCH, YOU GUYS!!!!!!_**

* * *

**Next Chapter**: Just what exactly is this House of Merlin? and how Harry gets his wand! 


	6. White Magic

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you recognize.  
  
WARNING: This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.  
  
SUMMARY: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

* * *

**RF's note**: Er, guys? Let's pretend Bill is only at most a few years younger than Sev? Thanks!

* * *

**Previously**:  
  
"Merlin..." whispered the Hat. "Not to be redundant, but...I think the House of Merlin has just been re-opened..."

* * *

Chapter 6  
  
Everyone stared at the Hat. Or, rather, Severus and Albus stared at it. Harry was having a hard time following their example, seeing as the Hat was still on his head. But not for lack of trying.  
  
"Please," croaked the Hat sarcastically, "you're making me blush."  
  
"The House of Merlin," breathed Severus finally. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," sighed the Hat. "And you can take me off now, my boy."  
  
Harry pulled the Hat off his head carefully, and set it onto Dumbledore's table.  
  
"So..." he started tentatively. "What _is_ this House of Merlin?"  
  
Dumbledore looked at him thoughtfully for a few moments. "Well," he answered finally. "Not much is known about it, but I will try my best to explain.  
  
"I am sure the name Merlin is familiar to you, correct?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Good. Merlin was... perhaps the greatest wizard in the history of the world. He had amazing power, and incredible abilities that earned him the title of... the White Mage. Very little is known about these abilities. Merlin was the first and only White Mage. Though it was prophesized that some day another White Mage would appear, so far... he's the only one. But I digress..." Dumbledore paused.  
  
"When Hogwarts was founded," he continued after a while, "the founders created a house in Merlin's name. This house was for students with special abilities... Some were empaths, some telepaths or psychics. Some could listen and talk to souls.  
  
"The students of this house had hearts in which all four of the qualities we look at to determine the best house were present in equal measures. Neither one of them reigned. And...in a way...blanketed over these qualities was another one – a unique connection to the world. It's hard to describe, but the Hat was made to notice it."  
  
"And notice it I did," interjected the Hat. "Even after all these years."  
  
"Yes," nodded Albus, then continued, "It has been said that the animagus forms of these students were mythical creatures, reflecting the person's abilities. And it's been said that the White Mage would be of this house...and he would have all of the abilities other members of the House have. They chose the Owl to represent the House, and the colors silver and gold. But..." he shrugged.  
  
"But there was only a handful of students to be sorted into the House of Merlin," Severus picked up the tale. "The last one came many hundred years ago. So, after a while, the House was closed. Very soon, all memory of it faded away. Not much is known about it. And now..."  
  
"And now, obviously, it's been re-opened," finished the Hat. "You're pretty darn special, Harry."  
  
Harry swallowed uncertainly. "Er...thanks," he managed, blushing. "So... now what?"  
  
"Now..." said Albus, "now you learn. I see no reason to change the plan we drew up earlier. But I'll dig up some books for you, about the House of Merlin. Perhaps they will have suggestions as to the areas of study you should look into."  
  
"Okay," said Harry. "That sounds okay." He was still a little dazed.  
  
"And now," Albus clapped his hands joyfully, "I think Severus can take you out to get your school supplies, and – most importantly – your wand!"  
  
Harry's eyes lit up at the prospect.  
  
"Oh, and," continued Albus, shooting Severus a look, "I took the liberty of signing Harry up for Healing instead of Divination. I hope you don't mind."  
  
"Not at all," smiled Harry.  
  
"Trelawney, that old cow," muttered Severus, rising from his chair.  
  
His tension broken by these words, Harry burst out laughing at his newfound mentor.  
  
Albus, too, couldn't hold back his bubbly chuckles.  
  
Grumbling slightly, but failing to suppress his smile, Severus ushered Harry out of Dumbledore's office.

* * *

Harry was fascinated. For the past couple of hours Severus and he had been shopping. He was stunned to find out that his parents left him vaults _full_ of wizard money! And wasted no time in buying everything that caught his interest. After all, he was new to this world and wanted a real taste of it. So what if that made him childish? It'd be only for a few wonderful, fun-filled hours.  
  
Now, his interest finally satisfied, he watched wide-eyed as an enchanted measuring tape buzzed about, fitting him for a robe, together with a few pins. The action seemed to be directed by a huge pincushion in the shape of a heart. Wait, it was green. Are hearts painted green in the magical world? They were usually red in the Muggle one... Harry shook his head and looked away.  
  
"So," he said. "Why'd you take me as your apprentice?"  
  
"Huh?" Snape looked up from the latest edition of Potions Weekly.  
  
"Well," shrugged Harry, "it can't be for my lack of magical skills."  
  
Snape looked at the boy like he was insane. "The potion you made for me was better than the one I'd invented myself. It took me _months_ to invent mine. Took you minutes. What do you call that but an obvious magical skill and an uncanny talent at Potions?"  
  
"Oh," blushed Harry. "That..."  
  
"Yeah, that," smiled Snape.  
  
"I could teach you to be like that," said Harry.  
  
Snape's jaw dropped. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah," said Harry. "You just simply need to open up and listen."  
  
Snape looked down. "I'm, uh...not exactly good at opening up."  
  
"It's okay," smiled Harry. "It's not that kind of opening up. I'll teach you."  
  
Severus nodded. "Thanks," he whispered. "I'd like that."

* * *

"Go on," urged Severus. Harry shifted uncertainly. The were standing outside a door that read "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." And, inexplicably, Harry was nervous.  
  
He looked up at Severus, with worry in his eyes. "What if..." He looked away, blushing.  
  
"What if what, Harry?" asked Severus softly, touching his shoulder uncertainly.  
  
"What if..." Harry swallowed. "What if this is all a mistake? What if I go in there, and the guy looks at me and says, sorry! There must be some mistake, you've got no magic, and then all this will end," Harry knew he was rambling but he didn't care.  
  
"Hey," Severus stopped his wordflow. "It'll be okay."  
  
"How do you know?" asked Harry, still refusing to meet the Professor's eyes.  
  
Softly, Severus touched Harry's cheek, and caught his eyes.  
  
"Because I see you," he said. "I see how amazing you are. I feel your power. It's not a dream, Harry. It's real. And _I'm_ here. _I'm_ real too."  
  
Harry couldn't help but lean into his touch. For a few moments, they stood there mutely, caught in each other's eyes. Then, coming out of the trance, Harry nodded. "Okay," he whispered. "Thank you."  
  
Slowly, they entered the dusty shop.

* * *

A half hour later, some of confidence Severus had given Harry earlier was fading away. He'd tried dozens of wands, and none of them seemed to work.  
  
Finally, blushing slightly, Harry suggested, "do you think maybe...I could look for my wand myself? I'm sure I could feel it."  
  
Looking skeptical, Ollivander let Harry walk amongst the shelves upon shelves of wands. Letting his senses roam, Harry slowly walked, touching a wand-box occasionally. Nothing felt right to him. Nothing called to him. Frowning, he concentrated, a line appearing on his forehead. He felt something... far away... not in this main room...but beyond... Concentrating again, he walked toward the feeling. Severus and Ollivander followed cautiously.  
  
Finally, Harry stopped in front of a small door. The call was coming from beyond it. Unhesitating, he reached for the handle. From behind Severus, Ollivander moved to stop the boy but was stayed by Severus' hand.  
  
"Let him," said Severus softly. "He knows what he's doing."  
  
Slowly, Harry opened the door. Inside he saw rows of beautifully carved staffs. He drew in a shaky breath. Directly at the opposite wall he saw the one that was meant for him. It was perfect...beautifully carved out of a material unknown to Harry. Into it, four fascinating animals were etched – a Lion, a Snake, a Badger, and an Eagle. And at the top of the staff sat a beautiful small Owl, wise eyes open and very life-like. Almost reverently, Harry walked forward and reached out...  
  
"Don't touch it!" exclaimed Ollivander.  
  
But Harry didn't hear. He was caught up in the call of the staff. Slowly, he laid his hand onto the beautiful handle.  
  
Severus gasped as the animals on the staff seemed to come alive. The Lion's tail and the Snake wrapped around Harry's arm, the Badger's eyes lit, and the Eagle spread his wings magnificently. The Owl blinked a few times, shook itself out like a true bird, and lazily flew onto Harry's shoulder.  
  
--Welcome, Master-- five voices sounded in Harry's head. --We've been waiting for you--  
  
Ollivander fell onto his knee in awe. "That staff was carved ages ago for one person only..." he whispered. "White Mage...I bow to you."  
  
Stunned, Severus followed the older man's example.  
  
Bewildered, Harry could only stare.

* * *

As Severus and Harry stepped out of the Apparating room, Harry prayed to God that this day would bring him no more surprises. As he saw exactly who was standing in the hallway, he decided his prayer was in vain.  
  
"Well," drawled Draco. "It seems the rumors _Are_ true."  
  
"Draco..." Severus sounded angry.  
  
"What, _Professor_? Aren't you going to introduce me to your newly appointed _apprentice_?" Draco smirked gleefully.  
  
Snape gritted his teeth and wondered why all the hard introductions had to fall on his head. "Harry..." he muttered. "This is Draco... my son."  
  
"That's right!" cackled Draco gleefully. "Who would have thought...Harry Potter...a servant in my home!"  
  
Harry hid his surprise and looked at Draco carefully. Something wasn't right.  
  
Draco smirked. "Obviously my _Father_ failed to inform you of my existence. Ha!" he laughed and then made a sad face, "you know..." he put a hand to his heart. "for the first time ever I truly regret that I chose to live in the dormitories..." he sniffled mockingly. "Seeing my Dad order you around would be quite the show!" he laughed again.  
  
Harry just smiled and kept looking at the boy.  
  
Meanwhile, Snape fought to keep his temper in check. "Out, _now_," he managed. "You're late for Transfiguration."  
  
Draco smirked, bowed mockingly, and waltzed out.  
  
As soon as the door closed behind him, Harry turned to Severus.  
  
"You know he's not your son, don't you?"

* * *

**RF's Note**: _**BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!!! **_You guys are awesome!!  
  
People who reviewed Chappie 5: **IncubusSuccubus, TommieBoy182, Miki23, Sykoticstalker27, Hekate101, Nithalas, oracale, Wolflady, Jayeh, ldypebsaby, ambrezwenko, texasjeanette, baby chaos, SerpentSlaveChik, starangel2106, Ruth, aleclovemax, Nicoletta, aikidobrat, RtisTykSyko, Rhysel Ash, MaraWeaves, Kaaera, Meghan2, Winnie2, Soft Willow, SheWolfe7, Tenshi-Chikyuu, Redd, Doneril, E.A.Saraby, athenakitty, FantasyChick, Stray Ricochet, kirrdis, Siri Lupus, Crissy Potter, trickymidnightdreamer, phisper, Aki no Yume1, and opal!!!!  
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**And, everyone who's reading this story, please review this chapter? Please? Make me happy?**


	7. On Pain and Comfort

**DISCLAIMER**: I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING**: This WILL EVENTUALLY be **SLASH**, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied **MPREG**, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY**: This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With The Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

* * *

**Previously**:

Draco smirked, bowed mockingly, and waltzed out.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Harry turned to Severus.

"You know he's not your son, don't you?"

* * *

Chapter 7

"What are you talking about?" Snape quirked an elegant eyebrow and tried to took indignant.

"You know," pressed Harry.

Severus shrugged and pulled out his wand, starting a fire in the fireplace, and talking all the while. "...I can assure you that in the wizarding world it is entirely possible for two males to have a..."

Harry stopped his wordflow gently. "That's not what I'm talking about."

Snape sighed and slumped down in his armchair, covering his face with his hands.

"How do you know," he whispered. "How do you always know?..."

Harry smiled sadly and sat in front of Severus on the fluffy rug. "Tell me," he urged.

Snape swallowed heavily and began. "Months after Bill and I got married we found he was pregnant." He smiled. "Our marriage was arranged, you know, but we weren't against it. We did like each other. Perhaps we even..." he paused. "Lusted after each other. In any case, we were fairly content. Er..." he smirked ruefully. "_I _was fairly content."

He stood up suddenly and walked over to a small cabinet near one of the walls. Opening it, he pulled out a bottle of scotch and poured himself a bit. Taking a sip, he continued, not quite able to meet his young Apprentice's eyes. "When I found out... I was so happy. I've always wanted a son, someone whom I could raise _right_, not like my father treated me, someone I could watch grow and mature...

"All of that crashed when Dumbledore asked me to join the Death Eaters. I could never refuse. Voldemort was happy to have me. Said I'd bring corruption into the Weasley family and ultimately, starting with my son, begin a new Weasley-Snape dynasty loyal to the Dark Arts." He smirked and took a big chug of his scotch, almost choking. "But I digress..." He looked Harry in the eye, suddenly almost defiant.

"You're right," he said softly, with a barely noticeable trembling in his voice, "Draco isn't mine. Bill has been secretly spelling Drake's hair black ever since he was born. Couldn't do anything about the eyes. He still naively thinks I don't know...but I do," he looked down, clutching his glass so hard Harry was afraid it would break. For a while they were silent.

"Lucius Malfoy," spat Snape through his teeth finally. "Bill had an affair with him not even months after we got married! Lucius doesn't deny the fact. But he would never acknowledge Draco. So I pretend...pretend I don't know...It's better this way...I do love Draco...but with Voldemort hovering over my shoulder, I have to teach him all the wrong things...and it's too late to change anything...it's too late..." he finished, studying his drink intently.

Finally, uncertainly, Severus looked up and met Harry's gaze. What he saw shocked him once again. He'd expected pity and hated the thought of seeing it, expecting it nevertheless. What he saw...was compassion...empathy... he knew the difference now. Harry's gaze didn't pity, but said, 'it's okay. I'm here for you. You're okay.' Like hours ago Snape had helped Harry get over his fear of entering Ollivander's shop, now _Harry_, with a simple gaze, was helping Severus get over his pain.

Harry smiled tenderly, sad, and understanding. There was nothing he could say.

Fleetingly, reassuringly, he touched Severus' knee, before rising from the rug and stretching his legs. "Are you hungry?" he asked softly. "I'm starving."

Severus nodded mutely, and rang the house-elf bell for some food.

* * *

Pushing the now-empty plate away from himself, Severus watched his young Apprentice gracefully wolf down his food. He chuckled silently at the paradox. He'd always thought one could wolf, or eat gracefully, but never at the same time. Harry once again proved him wrong. Chuckling out loud this time, he rose from his chair.

"If you don't mind," he said, "I'm going to my study for a while. I need to inform the Headmaster of the latest...developments."

"What developments?" asked Harry, finishing the last of his pumpkin juice and yawning contently.

Severus snorted. "Staff?" he reminded. "White Mage? Remember?"

"Oh," Harry blushed. "Right."

Still chuckling, Snape retreated to his study, opening a private floo-line to Dumbledore's office.

Minutes later, he returned, hands laden with books, mumbling under his breath. "The old git," he muttered. "'Remind me to thank Ollivander, won't you, my boy?' " he mocked. "He could have at least had the decency to _act_ surprised. 'Excellent! Step through for a minute, dear, I have some books for young Harry.' " Still grumbling, Severus stopped short as his fireplace came into view.

Curled up in front of it in a very cat-like manner was Harry.

Afraid something was wrong, Snape set down the books quickly and ran to the boy. As he saw Harry's face, however, he slowed down and just listened. The soft, regular breath of the boy told him what happened here.

Harry was...asleep. No doubt tired out by the day's adventures he'd curled up in front of the fire, probably at first just wanting to be closer to it and away from the cold dungeon drafts.

Snape chuckled softly and gazed upon his student with fondness. The boy was beautiful. A bit of hair had fallen across his face, partly covering it up. But his scar was visible, its lines smoothed down by the dim lights in the chamber. His face was relaxed, the flickering of the fire dancing across it, giving him an almost mystical, magical, mesmerizing appearance. Severus smiled, and reached out, brushing the hair away from the boy's face. He paused. It would be so easy now to discover just how long his hair was...All he had to do was... But no. He could not and would not invade Harry's privacy like that. Sighing softly, he got up and retrieved his sketchbook from his studio.

Settling down in his armchair, he began to draw the beautiful creature in front of him. For a while, all was peaceful.

Then, suddenly, Snape had to stifle a hiss as his left forearm was filled with liquid fire. Cursing softly, he sprang up, Accio'd his Death Eater robes and ran for the Apparation room. This was an unscheduled meeting. He could not afford being late.

* * *

"It's time to have some fun, my dears," cackled a high-pitch voice. Harry cringed. This was one of Those dreams... horrible dreams that made him wake up in cold sweat.

"Lucius, Bella," the voice continued, "show my _loyal_ followers what we do to my _not-so-loyal _men."

Two tall, hooded figures bowed and stepped forward softly, out of a circle of similarly dressed figures.

For a while the air was filled with screams as the figures attacked a bloodied man who lay limply in the center of the circle. As Harry watched, unable to close his eyes, he suddenly could not help thinking that the man seemed familiar. He came closer, straining to see his face, but all in vain.

Soon, the owner of the high-pitched voice himself joined in the torture. "_Crucio_," he hissed, pointing a wand at the man.

The man threw his head back and screamed, loudly, and terribly. Some part of Harry was aware that he, too, was screaming. He, too, was feeling the effects of the curse. But he didn't care. Stunned, he looked at the man's face, unable to move, frozen in time.

Finally, after what seemed like years, the curse was dropped.

"Apparate him to Hogwarts," hissed Voldemort. "He won't live long enough for them to save him."

* * *

With a start, Harry woke up. "Severus!!" he cried out, his body shaking from the after-effects of the curse. "No, no, please, God, _no_," he cried, staggering to his feet.

Forcing the pain to the back of his mind, Harry ran to his room, grabbed his staff, and sprinted out, praying to God that he wasn't too late.

* * *

**_RF'S NOTE, VERY IMPORTANT:_**

Guys, I am announcing a voting opportunity for all of you. It is a way for you guys to help me out and influence my story's development. The voting will go on for a couple chapters. SO, please, in your review, answer the following question:

**Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?**

a. Unicorn

b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)

c. Phoenix

d. Other. (Please specify, and remember that it must be a mythical/magical creature).

Thanks!!

* * *

**RF's Note #2**: _HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED MY STORY!!!_

People who reviewed Chapter 6: **athenakitty, aikidobrat, IncubusSuccubus, Aulili, Tigris T Draconis, Dib Human, oracale, Ruth01, starangel2106, Flo, Crissy Potter, shiroiryu144, websurffer, AmarieJ, E.A.Saraby, MaraWeaves, Kiyomi22, Rory, Miki23, Sothis Black, Freestyle-death, KDay2, LdyKiya, ambrezwenko, texasjeanette, Elebereth, ldypebsaby, Y.D.K.W, Kaaera, SheWolfe7, clarence, ahappyjtm, dablksaiyangurl, OrestesMyPet, Hekate101, SerpentSlaveChik, lambentness, dramalzgal, baby chaos, Kathleen, Wolflady, sillysue, and kirrdis!!! **

**Thanks much!**

And please review this chapter? Don't forget to answer my question! Thanks!


	8. Saving Grace

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

* * *

**Previously:**

"Apparate him to Hogwarts," hissed Voldemort. "He won't live long enough for them to save him."

With a start, Harry woke up. "Severus!!" he cried out, his body shaking from the after-effects of the curse. "No, no, please, God, _no_," he cried, staggering to his feet.

Forcing the pain to the back of his mind, Harry ran to his room, grabbed his staff, and sprinted out, praying to God that he wasn't too late.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 8**

As Harry raced toward the main entrance, his mind raced even faster, riddled with questions. How could he find Severus? Should he have gotten Dumbledore? He had no idea where the Apparation point was! And even if he did find him, what could he do? He knew no magic!

Running out the main doors, Harry threw his senses out as far as he could, desperately searching...but in vain. His range wasn't big enough, especially in his pain- and panic-riddled state.

Tripping over a stone, Harry tumbled onto the ground. Groaning, he picked himself up gingerly, leaning heavily upon his staff...wait...the staff! A tool, for focusing and projecting power!!

Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes tightly, Harry focused on his staff, sending his senses into it. For a while nothing happened. Harry was almost ready to pull out when the Owl on top of the staff stirred slightly. Encouraged by this, Harry forced himself to calm down and focus harder. Suddenly and without warning, the Owl took off into the evening sky. Dazed, Harry looked after it when he felt that part of his senses were up there, carried by the Owl. He was aware of both his body and his spirit within the Owl!

Screwing his eyes shut, Harry sent his senses, through the Owl, out as far as he could. The bird flew around in large circles, gradually increasing the radius while Harry desperately searched, stretching his awareness to the limit... there! They stopped suddenly, hanging in the air as Harry felt a familiar presence...a barely alive one.

Pulling his senses into himself sharply, Harry sprinted toward the presence, guided by the Owl. Within his mind, panic was taking over once again. As the body came into view, Harry felt like his heart was torn apart. Severus was sprawled out on the forest floor, a mass of torn robes, deathly pale flesh, and ruby red blood. As Harry ran closer, he saw no movement.

Finally, praying to whoever was listening that he wasn't too late, Harry dropped heavily onto his knees beside the limp body. Everything around him was swimming out of focus, his mind frozen with panic. He didn't know what to do. Scenes from various TV-shows flashed before his mind...checking the pulse...CPR... but he could not move. His body was shutting down. He stared wide-eyes onto the body of his new-found mentor, unable to move a limb.

He was brought out of his trance by a sharp pain in his ear. The Owl had come back and settled on his shoulder, nipping his ear angrily, almost violently.

--Well, don't just sit there!-- cried a voice within his mind.

Harry blinked. He could move again. As fast as he could he sprang forward, feeling for Severus' pulse, and sending his senses deep into his body, feeling out the injuries.

"Oh God," he whispered, seeing the extent of the hurt that'd been done to the man. What could he do?!

--Quick, release me-- sounded a different voice within the boy's mind. Somehow Harry knew it was the Eagle speaking.

"Release you?" he whispered. "How?"

-- Concentrate on letting me go--

With a huge effort, Harry concentrated, not daring to close his eyes. Suddenly, the Eagle pushed himself out of the staff, growing slightly and spreading his wings.

--I'll get Dumbledore and a Healer-- said the Eagle curtly, flying off. --Just hold onto him till then--

"Hold onto him?" questioned Harry into the empty sky.

He turned his attention back to Severus. The man's life force was slipping out of his body, and fast. He had to act before it was too late!!

Acting purely on impulse, Harry forced his senses even deeper into the body, searching out the man's core, the anchor of his soul. The bond between body and spirit was dwindling, weakening. The spirit could not hold on for long.

"Help him...I must help him..." muttered Harry.

--Lend him your energy-- instructed the Owl. -- Help the spirit hold on--

Weak from his exertions, Harry complied, sharing the remnants of his energy with Severus, lending him his life force. He would have reveled at the feeling if the situation had been different and not quite so...painful.

Harry slumped down onto the ground next to Severus, relaxing his body as much as possible. Focused on keep Severus alive, he could not spare thought for pushing his pain away, so the after-effects of Voldemort's curse assaulted him full-force. Breathing heavily, Harry fought to keep himself focused.

"Just a little longer," he muttered, partly to himself and partly to Severus' limp body. "Hold on just a little bit longer."

Everything was swimming around him. He was falling, the edges of his view were going white. He screwed his eyes shut, fighting off the dizziness. He struggled to stay conscious, struggled to keep his life force joined with Severus'.

"Just a little longer," he mumbled again, his tongue heavy, the words slurred and barely understandable. "Just a little..."

Darkness was consuming him. With a last effort he lifted his hand and felt for Severus' pulse. It was still there...heart still beating weakly...

He sighed, entwining his fingers with Severus'.

A calm was coming over him. His awareness of himself and of Severus was slipping, and fast. Everything was white and a terrible pressure was settling in his temples, increasing steadily.

A few tears made their way onto Harry's cheeks. With a deep sigh, he finally gave out and lost consciousness. He was only vaguely aware of hands lifting him, handling him, and carrying him away.

**

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**

**RF'S NOTE, VERY IMPORTANT:** Huge THANKS to everyone who VOTED and REVIEWED the previous chapter!! You guys are awesome!! I realize that many of you would have reviewed and stated your opinion but Could Not because the server wouldn't let you. So I thank all of you guys anyway. :-) And if you are sad because you could not vote and answer my very awesome question, then do not despair!! The vote is NOT OVER. It will go on for a couple chapters. So PLEASE, vote and let your opinion be known! The question stands thus:

**Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?**

a. Unicorn

b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)

c. Phoenix

d. Other. (Please specify, and remember that it must be a mythical/magical creature).

So far the Phoenix is in the lead.

Other suggestions I've gotten are: Serpent - the orient dragon/the Chinese dragon; Royal Eagle; black panther w/green eyes; Sphinx; Suicune; Thestral; Dire Wolf; Griffin; Pegasus; and Peryton. Thanks for suggesting these, guys!

By the way, if anyone wants to change their mind, that is Totally okay! Just review and let me know!

So step up and make your opinion known! Every voice counts!

**

* * *

**

**RF's NOTE 2: **Big thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter or was Going to review but could not. Thanks, guys!! You make me very happy!

People who reviewed Chapter 7: **aikidobrat, IncubusSuccubus, athenakitty, Lady Phasma, Wolflady, VirginSuicide, TommieBoy182, kirrdis, Vasquez1987, Elanore de Lioncourt, aleclovemax, Prussiluskan, Lea Black, Petunia, Elebereth, lmill123, Nene, shiroiryu144, deni1073, Kaaera, SerpentSlaveChik, Kiyomi22, Miki23, mal, snitch13, Queen of the Slash, Fallen Dragon, Lee Lee Potter, texasjeanette, Aulili, Draculella, Jade, lis, Crissy Potter, Sykoticstalker27, nimuesfall, Aldebaran Vipertooth, rei, websurffer, lilvietdevilgrl, lambentness, Luperus, c[R]ud[E]dly, arcadian cerberus, evan, sam, ldypebsaby, Lady FoxFire, SheWolfe7, ahappyjtm, and ZayaRichteroo!**

Thanks!!

_And please review this chappie too? Thanks much!_


	9. On Colors and Wands

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

* * *

**

**Previously: **

"Just a little longer," he mumbled again, his tongue heavy, the words slurred and barely understandable. "Just a little..."

Darkness was consuming him. With a last effort he lifted his hand and felt for Severus' pulse. It was still there...heart still beating weakly...

He sighed, entwining his fingers with Severus'.

A calm was coming over him. His awareness of himself and of Severus was slipping, and fast. Everything was white and a terrible pressure was settling in his temples, increasing steadily.

A few tears made their way onto Harry's cheeks. With a deep sigh, he finally gave out and lost consciousness. He was only vaguely aware of hands lifting him, handling him, and carrying him away.

* * *

This is really hastily written... but oh well... sigh... enjoy. :) tell me what y'all think.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

The first thing Harry became aware of as he slowly came to was the incredibly bright light which penetrated his eyelids and made him wince in pain. The pain soon receded, however, and his senses were dominated by a strong smell of medicine and cleanliness. He stirred weakly. His right hand came up automatically, making sure all of his hair was tucked safely beneath the collar of his shirt.

As his body began to come alive, Harry realized that he, in fact, felt no pain and was quite refreshed. His mind struggled to remember why he was in some sort of a hospital. He remembered...a dream... pain...screaming...

"Severus!!" Exclaimed Harry. Memories surged through his mind as his eyes flew open and he sat up, looking around frantically and ignoring the pain induced by the lights.

Seeing a bed surrounded by curtains on his left, he moved to get up when he was stilled by a firm but gentle hand.

"Not so fast, dear," sounded a woman's voice. "I have to make sure you're fine and ready to get up."

Harry's head swung around to face the woman, eyes desperate. "Where is Severus?" Panic was evident in his voice. He jerked his thumb at the curtained bed. "Is he in there? Why are the curtains closed?! Tell me he's all right!!"

"Shh, it's okay," said the woman gently, forcing him to lie down again. "He's..." she hesitated. "As fine as he can be right now."

That did nothing to lessen Harry's fears. Eluding the woman's – Madam Pomfrey's, said the badge on her robe – hands, he flew off his bed and over to the curtained one.

Slowly, he drew the curtains.

Severus lay, stretched out and completely motionless, on the simple hospital bed. His hands lay limply at his sides, his inky hair a smudge against the white of the pillow and the paleness of his skin. Only the shallow rise and fall of his chest showed that he was, in fact, alive.

Harry came closer timidly. "Sev?" he called ever so softly. The seemingly sleeping figure remained still.

Slowly, Harry approached the bed, touching his newfound master's hand. "Severus?" he whispered again. No response.

Trembling, he turned to the woman. "What..." his voice broke. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's in a coma," sounded Dumbledore's voice. "Much like the one you've been in for the past four days."

* * *

"Coma?" whispered Harry, disbelieving. He was back in his bed, forced into it by Madam Pomfrey, with Dumbledore sitting by his side.

"Yes," nodded the Headmaster. "Lemon drop?" Harry shook his head.

"Well then. You see, in every wizard there is a magical...life force. A core spirit – a mass of energy, on which we draw to sustain ourselves, and to do magic. When this spirit's energy reserves are exhausted, it needs time to replenish them.

"For both you and, even more so, Severus, the spirits were _incredibly_ exhausted, so for some time your bodies shut down so the spirit could heal itself. You have healed yourself already, that's why you woke up. But..." Dumbledore paused and looked over at Severus' bed.

"But Severus' spirit may be damaged as well as exhausted," put in Madam Pomfrey. "It _will_ heal...but no one knows how long it will take."

"For now," finished Dumbledore, "All we can do is hope and pray."

For a moment Harry was silent.

"No," he said finally. "I won't hope. I _know_ he'll wake up soon. I feel it. I know it. It _must_ be true."

Only the tears on his cheeks showed what he truly felt.

* * *

"All right, class, settle down." Under Professor McGonagall's gaze, the first year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Transfiguration class was instantly silent.

From his seat in the very back of the room, Harry eyed the students and the Professor with interest. He'd never been to a class on magic before.

After explaining the situation to him, Dumbledore had rushed him out of what Harry now knew was the Hospital Wing and insisted that he attend the last first-year class of the day: Transfiguration. It was time to get the learning going.

Harry was actually fairly glad to have to do this. It took his mind off... the body lying limply in a curtained bed of the Hospital Wing.

Shaking his head to will these thoughts away, Harry focused his attention on the Professor.

"Today we will be working on changing the color of things," announced McGonagall. "For practice you will each use your own tie. In order to transform the tie to a different color, you must concentrate on the color you wish to see and then, with a swish and flick of your wand say, 'Drego'. First try to make your tie a solid color. Then, experiment with visualizing different patterns and actualizing them. If you have any questions, please raise your hands. Begin."

Having been satisfied that her class was under control, the Professor made her way over to Harry. He looked at her awkwardly and then down at his robe. "No tie," he grinned.

She smiled in return. "I have a tie for you." She pulled out a simple unmarred by anything white tie. "The Headmaster feels," she continued, "that it should not be revealed that you're in the House of Merlin. Of course..." she looked at the staff Harry was holding. "That is a little difficult. But nevertheless..." she paused. "He feels that you should choose a House for yourself – one to or from which points will be added or deducted according to your achievements. It was this idea in the first place that caused the Headmaster to put you through the Sorting. Something which, I suppose, we should be grateful for. In any case, this is as good a place for you to start as any. Enjoy."

Without another word, Professor McGonagall walked away.

Harry looked around. All around him people were swishing and flicking. He knew what that looked like now. It seemed like he was ready to begin. But...

Harry looked at his staff. "No wand," he whispered. "What do I do?"

--Oh, pardon me-- sounded a voice in his head. -- I'm the wand--

Suddenly the Snake slithered off the staff, grew to wand size, straightened herself out carefully, and froze. His wand was ready.

Harry stared.

--Well, pick me up-- ordered the Snake. --Can't be staring at me all day, can ya?--

Snapping out of his stupor, Harry picked up his new wand and swished and flicked experimentally. He grinned. This was way cool.

He turned to his tie. Concentrating, he swished and flicked and said the incantation. He tried again. No luck. He frowned.

Calling on his gift, Harry sat before his tie silently, clearing his mind. Uncalled for, a Gryffindor tie appeared in his mind's eye. Projecting his power and the image through his wand, he drew the wand slowly over the length of the tie, barely brushing it. He gave a soft whoop as the tie became a perfect Gryffindor one.

Soon, knowing he could do it, Harry learned to use the incantation as well. His tie was now proudly sporting a wide range of patterns from polka dots to an incredible combination of swirly and zigzagy colors.

Finally tired of playing with the tie, he raised his hand. Soon Professor McGonagall was standing beside him.

"Why do we need to use the incantation, Professor?" asked Harry.

"Well," she frowned. "To indicate which spell we are performing."

"But, well," Harry shrugged, "isn't there already an image in our mind, indicating what we want to do?"

"Well, yes," replied the Professor, "but the incantation also activates the spell. Turns image into real life."

"But..." Harry struggled to find the right words, "can't we just project the spell with our mind?"

"I am not sure what you are talking about, Mr. Potter." A hint of irritation was creeping into McGonagall's voice.

Harry sighed. Wordlessly, he concentrated on an image once more and drew his wand hand over the tie. The tie once again became a perfect Gryffindor one.

Professor McGonagall stared. "Well," she stated finally, "that's why you're the White Mage."

Harry grinned, putting on the tie.

The Professor watched his hands for a while. "Does this mean you're joining Gryffindor?" she asked.

Harry's grin widened. "Yes," he said simply. "It does."

"All right then," McGonagall paused. "Five points to Gryffindor for the beautiful job on the tie."

With a real smile on her face Minerva McGonagall walked away. Only the most observant of students noticed the slight bounce to her step as she walked to the front of the room. Only a few select people saw the slight goofiness in her smiled as she dismissed the class.

* * *

In a daze, Harry sat in the middle of a roaring Gryffindor table. Everyone – Ron most of all – was overcome with joy at the news that he'd be joining the House. Amid the joyful crowd, a boy with a camera made his way to Harry.

"Harry!" he exclaimed. "My name is Colin. Can I take a few pictures?"

Harry stared. "Why?" he asked confusedly.

"Well," blushed Colin," because you're a hero."

"No," shrugged Harry, "I'm really not."

"What do you mean?" Everyone around them quieted down and stared at him.

"My mother's love saved me," he explained, "not any quality of my own."

He smiled. "I remember how it happened. She saved me. My parents are the real heroes. They'd pose for a few photos, but..." his smile clouded but remained warm. "...they're too busy watching over me."

With a last smile at his friends, Harry made his way to the Hospital Wing. He was anxious to tell Severus all about his day.

Because he knew Sev could hear him. He could.

And he'd wake up soon. He would.

Blinking away the tears, Harry walked on.

**

* * *

**

**RF's NOTE:** BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED AND VOTED!!! And yes, I realize that Still some of you guys Would have reviewed but could not. So I thank you anyway. And Guess what!! The VOTE is still going on. The phoenix is IN the lead, but it's not too late to turn things around. So PLEASE, everyone, answer my very awesome question that reads,

**Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?**

a. Unicorn

b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)

c. Phoenix

d. Other. (Please specify, and remember that it must be a mythical/magical creature).

Other suggestions I've gotten are: Serpent - the orient dragon/the Chinese dragon; Royal Eagle; black panther w/green eyes; Sphinx; Suicune; Thestral; Dire Wolf; Griffin; Pegasus; Peryton, Chinese fireball; winged lion; manticore; and Basilisk. Thanks for suggesting these, guys!

A Peryton is a deer with wings that casts the shadow of a man.

A Suicune is a legendary dog from Pokemon, but the suggestion is to make it a bit more feline in nature.

**_People who reviewed chap 8_: E.A.Saraby, aikidobrat, athenakitty, Crissy Potter, Miki23, Iced Flame, Queen of the Slash, Wolflady, texasjeanette, Soft Willow, Nithalas, rei, kirrdis, Kaaera, Keahi17, mateja007, Aulili, Luperus, Lutheyl, 'Pyrefly, I was deactivated', futago akuma-tenshi01, dablksaiyangurl, shiroiryu144, AshenWolf **(big thanks for the email!!)**, JediCandy, Redd, Cassiby, lady phoenix, Jasmine, hanneke, TommieBoy182, Elebereth, peacockgal17, websurffer, elvengoddess696, Claudia **(whose review appears on my reviews page about 20 times... if that was on purpose...was it?...then please don't do that again? If it was not on purpose, then, apparently it's the server's fault.)**, Kitsune25, Raskanii, **and** lunadea!!**

**THANKS MUCH!!!**

And please review this chap too? Don't forget to vote! Thanks!


	10. The Walls That Break

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

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**

**RF's note:** Sorry for the long delay, guys!!! I just was SO caught up with other stuff that the plot of this next chapter took the longest time to form. Sorries. :) I hope you like it – it's sorta hastily written. Please Review!

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**Previously:**

With a last smile at his friends, Harry made his way to the Hospital Wing. He was anxious to tell Severus all about his day.

Because he knew Sev could hear him. He could.

And he'd wake up soon. He would.

Blinking away the tears, Harry walked on.

**

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**

**Chapter 10**

"Accio feather."

The tiny object stirred weakly at Harry's half-hearted attempt at a summoning charm.

Harry's forehead hit his desk with a thud.

"I can't do this," he mumbled into the cool wood.

Next to him, Professor Flitwick sighed heavily. "Yes you can," he asserted. "You know you can."

Harry's neck felt wooden as he tried to upright himself. "Do _you _see the feather moving?" he inquired sarcastically.

"Well," Flitwick paused, "the Accio is a difficult charm. You must have a clear image in your mind of what it is that you wish to summon. And--" he eyed his student carefully, "it seems to me that you can't really focus on _anything_. You heart and head just aren't in it."

Harry fought the urge to yell out a big fat "DUH!!"

"Can I just..."he hesitated. "...Can I just go now?" he muttered. Meeting the Professor's eyes was quite a challenge.

"Of course," Flitwick smiled with sad understanding. "Go see him, child. It'll give you some peace."

Thanking him with a weary nod, Harry walked out.

Two weeks had passed since that torturous night...and Severus wasn't waking up.

* * *

As Harry made his way to the Infirmary, his legs felt like leaden sticks, head heavy as an anvil.

A week ago he lost his sleep.

Four days ago he lost his smile.

Now all of his existence was turned toward one thing...praying to God that Severus would wake up.

Food was forced into him by Hermione and Ron.

He could not focus on anything.

He did not want to.

All that mattered was the limp body lying silently in the Hospital Wing.

All that mattered was Sev.

* * *

No longer was the Infirmary unfamiliar to Harry. He spent days and nights here now. Days in watching...nights in wistful contemplation.

Wearily he drew open the curtains around Severus' bed, just enough to step through. Soon he was beside his master, and the rest of the world was cut off.

He lowered himself into 'his chair'.

From the opposite side of the bed a black-haired youth looked up apathetically. Green eyes held icy blue ones.

Many an evening they had spent together lately beside Severus...neither speaking...both grieving...both hoping...both waiting.

Wordlessly, Draco looked away. He was trembling slightly, blinking away tears.

Moved by inspiration, Harry crossed over to Draco's side of the bed.

"It'll be okay," he whispered, touching the boy's shoulder comfortingly. "He'll be fine."

"Oh yeah?!" Draco shrugged the hand away violently and sprung up. With a visible effort he put on his evil façade.

"How do you know, a_pprentice_ boy?" he drawled. "So all-knowing, are we?" He shot a look at his father. Something faltered in his mien.

"It'd be better if he just got it over with and _died_ already," he squeezed through gritted teeth, eyes flaring. "Even in a coma the git manages to unsettle and piss everybody off."

Unhesitating, Harry's hand shot up.

A slap resounded in the curtained cubicle. A red blotch now marred the white flesh of Draco's cheek.

Harry's eyes were blazing with emerald fire, burning Draco.

"Hiding your feelings behind a wall of lies will solve nothing," he snapped. "He who faces suffering with lies is not a man, but coward, and in doing so he doubles the pain."

His gaze softened. "You love your father. I understand that you have a façade to put up in front of your Slytherin posse, but here is neither the time nor the place for it. Here you must be true to yourself. Because if you aren't, then you're betraying _him_."

Harry turned his attention back toward Severus. For a few minutes all was silent. Draco seemed to be contemplating something.

At last, Harry was not surprised to feel a wand press between his shoulder blades.

"I know more Dark Magic than you do any magic," hissed Draco into his ear. "I could blow you to bits right now."

Harry turned around slowly.

"But you won't," he asserted softly, looking into the young man's eyes.

"How can you be so sure?" spit Draco.

"Because you're crying," smiled Harry sadly.

Draco's hand fell limply to his side as he realized how tear-streaked his face was.

"No..."he whispered. "I don't cry. I can't cry. I shouldn't..." he tried to will the tears away.

"I think you'll find," said Harry quietly, "that tears are one of the best things that could happen to you. Don't hold them back."

It was as Harry looked into Draco's eyes that Draco realized just how wise the young man in front of him was, and just how powerful.

It was at this moment, too, that he realized that from now on he'd give his life for Harry, and Harry would do the same for him.

He felt his façade crumble to bits.

Surrendering, Draco cried.

* * *

Weary, but oddly relieved, Harry walked into Severus' chambers to retrieve some clean clothes for himself.

He stopped short when we saw a person standing in the hallway.

"You..." hissed Bill like an angry snake, eyes burrowing into Harry's with a fiery hatred. "It's all your fault," he spit.

Harry stared. "What..." he trailed off uncertainly.

"If you hadn't gone and _invaded _my husband's body, doing Merlin knows _WHAT_ to his spirit, he'd be up and running by now!" yelled Bill suddenly.

Harry blanched. "What are you talking about?" he exclaimed. "If I hadn't done it, he would have _died_ before Dumbledore got there!"

"Nonsense," scoffed the red-head. "I _specifically _asked Lucius to go easy on him..."

Harry froze.

He was vaguely aware that Bill was still talking, but he didn't care. Words were playing over and over in his mind. "Specifically asked... asked Lucius... specifically asked Lucius... Lucius."

Time seemed to screech to a halt as realization entered Harry's eyes.

"You...asked...Lucius."

* * *

Slumped over his father's bed in the Hospital Wing, Draco never noticed as Severus' hand stirred and flexed imperceptibly.

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**RF'S NOTE!! **BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED AND VOTED!!! And yes, I realize that Still some of you guys Would have reviewed but could not. So I thank you anyway. And Guess what!! The VOTE is still going on. The phoenix is still IN the lead, but it's not too late to turn things around. So PLEASE, everyone, answer my very awesome question that reads,

**Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?**

a. Unicorn

b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)

c. Phoenix

d. Other. (Please specify, and remember that it must be a mythical/magical creature).

Other suggestions I've gotten are: Serpent - the orient dragon/the Chinese dragon; Royal Eagle; black panther w/green eyes; Sphinx; Suicune; Thestral; Dire Wolf; Griffin; Pegasus; Peryton, Chinese fireball; winged lion; manticore; Basilisk; Dyheli; Selchie; cwn annwn; kraken; darcorn; white dementor; and Augurey. Thanks for suggesting these, guys!

A Peryton is a deer with wings that casts the shadow of a man.

A Suicune is a legendary dog from Pokemon, but the suggestion is to make it a bit more feline in nature.

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**_Big thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 9!!!:_** **Arcadian cerberus, Kaaera, shiroiryu144, Crissy Potter, 'Pyrefly, I was deactivated'** (I put your name in parentheses cuz it contains a comma, and I use commas to separate people, so you'd have been two people. :-D), **silentauror** (a stag isn't mythical, is it?), **Sykoticstalker27, E.A.Saraby, fiend, blubb-blubb, Sabby-chan Yaoi Fan, agge, Sanity is Relative, MoonysGurl, oracale, Doneril, Elebereth, Ruth01, The Snake Charmer, bitchmonkey2000, Dea Puella, TommieBoy182, Jade Dagger, Character Flaw, SerpentSlaveChik, SailorTerra1, Shadowsphinx, clarence, Delinka, Phat Kat, Lutheyl, NephilimTear, RandomnessDotCom, BlackRaven13, Little Nadeshiko **(hey, email me if you still wanna translate. That'd be cool.:)) **GY, Mikito, Queen Zephora Yami, Ava Blaire, **and **pheonixelemental!! **

_**THANKS, GUYS!!**_

And please everyone, review this chap? The more reviews I get, the fast I'll write. And don't forget to **vote**!! Thanks!!


	11. Pain and Punishment

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

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RF's Note:** Wow… I think that was the longest delay yet. Me sowwy!! I am SOOO busy with stuff, and I kinda had writer's block too, and Now it's finally winter break and I can write. 

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A small warning:**

This chapter is a bit darker, so, uh, proceed with caution. 

Again, sorry for the delay, guys. Enjoy!

**

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Previously: **

"Accio feather."

Harry's neck felt wooden as he tried to upright himself. "Do _you _see the feather moving?" he inquired sarcastically.

--

Draco's hand fell limply to his side as he realized how tear-streaked his face was.

"I think you'll find," said Harry quietly, "that tears are one of the best things that could happen to you. Don't hold them back."

It was as Harry looked into Draco's eyes that Draco realized just how wise the young man in front of him was, and just how powerful.

It was at this moment, too, that he realized that from now on he'd give his life for Harry, and Harry would do the same for him.

--

"You…" hissed Bill like an angry snake, eyes burrowing into Harry's with a fiery hatred. "It's all your fault," he spit. "If you hadn't gone and _invaded _my husband's body, doing Merlin knows WHAT to his spirit, he'd be up and running by now!" yelled Bill suddenly.

Harry blanched. "What are you talking about?" he exclaimed. "If I hadn't done it, he would have _died_ before Dumbledore got there!"

"Nonsense," scoffed the red-head. "I _specifically _asked Lucius to go easy on him…"

Harry froze.

He was vaguely aware that Bill was still talking, but he didn't care. Words were playing over and over in his mind. "Specifically asked… asked Lucius… specifically asked Lucius… Lucius."

Time seemed to screech to a halt as realization entered Harry's eyes.

**

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Chapter 11 **

"You… asked… Lucius," repeated Harry in a daze.

Bill's jaw snapped shut as he realized exactly what he had just said.

"I… I…" he fumbled desperately to save himself.

Harry's eyes focused on him with a deadly glint. "Just what kind of a monster are you?" he whispered.

"SOD off!" spat Bill. He drew himself up in fearful defiance. "You know nothing! _Nothing_!"

Harry felt rage swelling within him. He fought to keep it in check.

"Sixteen years!" continued Bill. "Sixteen _sodding_ years of being the LAST thing on that man's mind." His face turned red. "If it was not classes, it was potions. If it was not potions, it was _painting_! Dumbledore, research, models, books! I was _SICK_ and _TIRED_ of them.

"But most of all… oh, most of all," he hissed, "was his Stupid Death Eater act."

"'Oh, I'm a spy for the Light,'" he mocked. "I am _fed up_ with him leaving and waltzing back home at random hours of the night, disappearing for days, and reappearing beaten into a bloody pulp. He pretends that what he does actually makes a difference! Ha!" Bill's high cackle made Harry wince. "He was no father to Draco and he was no husband to me. All that mattered was 'the Light'! 'The Cause'! Well, _SCREW_ his stinking cause!"

Harry felt his blood reach boiling point.

Bill drew in a sucking breath and straightened. "I told Lucius Sev is a spy. I asked him to go easy on him. I knew that if the Dark Lord thought Severus was dead, we would finally be left alone. This was the only way."

"Go easy?" squeezed Harry through clenched teeth. "Death Eaters don't know what that means." His eyes filled with painful tears. "He would have been _dead _had I not found him in time. Do you understand what 'dead' means? He's in a coma now. And for all I know…this is your fault, and yours alone."

Bill waved his hand dismissively, more sure of himself now. "Don't be stupid. Lucius gave his word. I'm sure it wasn't that bad." His eyes gleamed with hard hatred. "And maybe he deserved the pain. It was small punishment for the years of misery he brought to…"

Bill's speech was cut off abruptly as the mirror in the hallway shattered into millions of pieces. He shrieked and fell to his knees as some of the shards pierced his flesh.

Harry stepped forward, towering over him. Power shone in his eyes – an inferno of such might that it promised incredible pain. His body was glowing intensely, giving him an ephemeral but infinitely powerful, fearsome look.

He looked Bill in the eye, and Bill felt himself cower.

Slowly, Harry raised his hand. "Accio Staff," he whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the mumbling form before him.

Bill started violently as doors were slammed open and the White Mage's staff flew into Harry's outstretched hand.

"You think it wasn't bad," hissed Harry. "You think he deserved it? Let me show you…" his eyes gleamed. "Let me show you what happened that night. Better yet… let me show you how it felt."

"No…" mumbled Bill, "no, please don't. Please." He shrank away.

Harry closed his eyes and steeled himself. In his mind, he called up the memory of the dream that had assaulted him that fateful day. He felt the pain of it reawakened in his body. With a violent effort, he forced the dream into his staff. The Owl's eyes flared with gathering light. The light grew to blinding power and hurled itself straight into Bill's heart.

"_It's time to have some fun, my dears," cackled a high-pitched voice. "Lucius, Bella, show my loyal followers what we do to my not-so-loyal men."_

_...The air was filled with screams as the figures attacked a bloodied man who lay limply in the center of the circle…_

"_Crucio," hissed Voldemort, pointing his wand at the man._

Bill screamed.

Harry drew his power back. His chest was heaving. He, too, had relived the pain, but he wasn't about to show it.

His eyes focused on Bill once again. The man was breathing hard; he had felt the pain, but was unhurt.

Suddenly feeling like an old man, Harry leaned heavily on his staff and made his way to the door.

At the threshold, he stopped.

"I pity you," he said softly, his back turned. "The hardness of your heart must be second only to that of Voldemort himself."

* * *

High above him, in the Hospital Wing, Severus' eyes fluttered open. **

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RF's Note 2:** Yeah, I know, It's kind of short, but it is my promise to you that the next chapter shall come out if not by Christmas then by New Year's for sure. Kay? **

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RF's Note 3: ** So I counted up the tally a couple hours ago, and found that, indeed, the Phoenix has won, with Mini-Dragon coming in second. 

I realize, however, just how many of you voted 'other' (BIG THANKS for all of the suggestions), so I would like to give all of you guys another opportunity to make your voice be heard.

That said, I am announcing a **face-off between Phoenix and Mini-Dragon**.

SO, in your review, answer the following question:

**Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?**

a. Phoenix

b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)

This vote will go on for **TWO CHAPTERS** only – this one, and the following. After that, I have to draw up a plan for the rest of the fic, so I kinda have to know.

So _please_, all of my wonderful reviewers, vote! You will make me very happy if you do.

That said, **HUGE THANKS** to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter!!: **Silver-Entrantress-Elf, 'lady phoenix, queen of zion', rayvern, doublestar, Queen of the Slash, E.A.Saraby, athenakitty, Micka, buckbeakevans, anonymous, Catty, chaos, Kaaera, banks, Arcadian Cerberus, PadfootObssesed329, websurffer, SheWolfe7, Velze, JediCandy, clarence the bravehearted, hyouden, Kateri1, Black-Rose1243, manx, slytherinsela, Iced Flame, xxxNighteyesxxx, Crissy Potter, Caelestis, Wolflady, Luperus, cherrity, Otspock, StarWest45, aikidobrat, Igrainne, SerpentSlaveChik, Little Nadeshiko, hermoine21, kirrdis, Elebereth, KC, Blu Evermind, Maxennce, anonymous, nemesis, jbcna, Hirame, Remusgrl01, Miki23, evilscorpian, Tinkering, hahaha-evil, Hyouden, Craw/Brad, TommieBoy182, Freestyle-death, Clutchy, Lupus Acerbus, Celene, rose estraz, Katsy, Nimohtar, Hannah, ein dwang, Shea Loner, shamanogler, Severusslave, 'Pyrefly, I was deactivated', ChibiAngel1212, blackdragonofslytherin, Petunia, Squrlie Jack, **and** Wyccegurl!!!!**

Wow… I think that's the longest list yet. **_THANKS, GUYS!!!_**

And Guys! Great News! _AWESOME THANKS_ go out to **Little Nadeshiko** who actually translated some of my story into German!! Isn't that just incredible?!! So all of you German speakers out there, go to my profile page and you should see a link to the German version of the story. Don't forget to review!!

Look for the next chapter soon!! Don't forget to vote! Thanks! See ya!


	12. On Warmths That Be

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

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RF's NOTE:** Well, after a night of mad writing, I managed to keep my promise. Happy Holidays! Enjoy! **

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Previously: **

Bill drew in a sucking breath and straightened. "I told Lucius Sev is a spy. I asked him to go easy on him. I knew that if the Dark Lord thought Severus was dead, we would finally be left alone. This was the only way."

"You think it wasn't bad," hissed Harry. "You think he deserved it? Let me show you…" his eyes gleamed. "Let me show what happened that night. Better yet… let me show you how it felt."

Bill screamed.

"I pity you," said Harry softly, his back turned. "The hardness of your heart must be second only to Voldemort himself."

High above him, in the Hospital Wing, Severus' eyes fluttered open.

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Severus' eyes weren't exactly obeying him. They seemed to be more happy rolling around in no particular direction rather than focusing on his surroundings.

He groaned weakly with the effort of lifting his head. It felt rather rock-like in density, he asserted, while his neck was decidedly more like a Popsicle stick.

"Father!!!!"

Severus grunted with the impact as a flurry of limbs threw itself on him, burying its face in said Popsicle stick.

"Hey Drake," he whispered, holding his son close. "I guess I'm back."

His eyes traveled around his curtained cubicle. "I don't know how the hell I got here," he continued in wonder, "…but I'm back."

Draco pulled away, face streaked with tears of happiness. "Harry saved you," he explained, trying to wipe his tears away. "He saw you in a dream… and then he ran… and then he shared his life force with you until Professor Dumbledore came, and then you were in a coma, and we sat here by your side, and now you're back! I knew you'd be." He smiled brightly, sniffling now. "Sorry, I know I'm babbling," he grinned. "I just… missed you is all." More happy tears swelled in his eyes.

Severus felt his own lips stretch into a warm smile. Then his eyes misted with memories.

Pain was the first thing that came to mind. Lots… and lots… of pain. His bones ached with the memories. He was sure that this time he wouldn't survive.

Draco sprang up, jolting him from his thoughts. "I should get Dad!" he exclaimed.

Severus forced a smile and nodded.

Draco flew out of the Infirmary.

Severus closed his eyes. He remembered… that after pain… a new presence appeared. He remembered… warmth… beautiful warmth that penetrated his very soul, lighting up every dark corner from the inside. It was simply beautiful… there was no other word for it. He thought he died then, and this was what the afterlife felt like.

But it must have been… Harry.

"Severus?"

Radiant emerald eyes met onyx.

--------

"I bumped into Draco," ventured Harry, standing uncertainly in a curtain's opening. "He seemed in such a hurry he barely glanced at me."

"He went to get his Dad," smiled Severus.

Harry hoped the momentary pained expression on his face would go unnoticed.

He didn't know what to do with his useless body. Joy was overtaking him, and paralyzing him at the same time. He didn't know if he could hug Severus, or shake hands, or… what was appropriate?

Snape sensed the boy's confusion. "Well," he rumbled, opening his arms. "Come here. You _are_ my savior, after all."

A brilliant smile lit Harry's face as he flew into Severus' arms. His face was wet with tears as he held the older man close. "I was so afraid…" he whispered. "So afraid I'd lost you…" He looked up at Severus, with fire in his eyes. "Don't ever scare me like that again," he begged. "I couldn't take it."

Severus smiled warmly, feeling tears welling up in his own eyes. "I don't ever plan to," he whispered back, kissing the boy's forehead softly.

Their eyes met once again. "Let me listen to you," pleaded Harry. "I need to be sure you're fine."

Snape nodded his consent.

Harry smiled. His eyes closed as his hand found its way to Snape's chest and froze straight over his heart.

Severus stared as the boy's face shone with perfect calmness, only a hint of a smile remaining on his face. He gasped as he felt warmth radiate from his hand, penetrating his heart, body, and soul. His eyes fell shut in reverence of the beautiful feeling spreading through him. He wanted to bask in the warmth forever.

When he opened his eyes again, Harry was watching him. His emerald eyes seemed to be able to look into the very depth of his soul. Severus felt himself smile.

Harry smiled back. "It's good to hear your voice again," he whispered. Slowly, the warmth faded. He drew his hand back.

For a few long moments, they held each other's eyes, simply content to be together.

Finally, Harry looked away. Distress showed itself on his face.

Severus eyed him worriedly. "What is it?" he asked softly.

Harry struggled to meet his eyes. Aching tears were burning in them now. "It's… Bill," he whispered.

Severus' head fell back onto his pillow. He closed his eyes to hide his pain. He knew. "He turned me in to Lucius, didn't he," he stated brokenly. It wasn't a question.

Harry nodded mutely.

Snape muffled a curse.

"That's…" Harry struggled to keep talking. "That's not all…"

Severus' raspy pained laugh resounded through the cubicle. "What did you do to him?" he squeezed out.

Harry looked down, cheeks flaming. "I… I showed him a bit of what you felt," he mumbled.

Snape's head snapped up. "You _what _now?!" he asked.

Harry winced. "Well… See, I've been having these dreams for quite some time now… scary dreams that make your blood run cold."

He looked up. "And then in the last one, when I slept by the fireplace… I saw you. And I knew that that… monster that was there… was Voldemort."

Severus cringed at the name.

"And then I realized," continued Harry, "that through my link with him, I could see stuff sometimes."

Snape nodded thoughtfully. "That seems logical," he contemplated, "but you showed him how it _felt_?"

Harry paled, memories awakened once again. "Yeah…" he whispered. "When Voldemort throws curses… I feel them. It hurts." He swallowed hard. "I simply gave my dream to Bill. Now he knows a small part of what you felt."

Severus' eyes fell closed with painful thought.

For a few minutes, silence reigned.

Both looked up at the sound of a curtain being drawn.

Draco stood just inside the cubicle. Anguished tears spilled from his eyes.

"Dad left," he whispered. "He left a note… he's gone."

A stab of pain surged through Severus. "Come here, child," he sighed.

For the third time that night, a body threw itself on him. Draco was sobbing freely now.

Severus shushed him, rubbing his back soothingly and holding him close. "It's okay, child," he whispered. "Shush now… It'll all be okay."

---------

Several weeks had passed since that night, and the Snape household settled into a calm routine. Draco's anger at Bill's 'treason' subsided somewhat, and he chose to be simply content that his Father was alive and well.

Severus was confined to bed, at the combined insistence of Dumbledore, Pomfrey, and Harry. ("Now Severus – Madam Pomfrey and I are good, but we are not perfect. Your body needs much more rest to regenerate completely." Harry had nodded then, and Severus had no choice but to comply.)

At Draco's insistence, Severus' bed was moved to the living room and enlarged to enormous size, with enough room for both Draco and Harry to lie down to either side of him, which they did for many an evening, telling stories and tickling his sides softly.

In his spare time, when he wasn't studying like mad, Harry ran all the household business, and was doing so with great pleasure. It delighted him to cook or order something for dinner that made Sev's or Draco's eyes light up, or to surprise them with a little something-something to make their days more special.

Now it was the last day before Winter Break, with only days left 'til Christmas, and Harry was sitting in a 6th year Gryffindor-Slytherin Charms class, feeling decidedly silly, while tensions were running high.

Draco was forced to play the part of the arrogant git, and, not knowing it was just an act, Ron and Hermione weren't too happy with that.

Finally, Harry felt he had had enough of the dangerous looks and the wands ready for action.

He sprang onto his desk. "I think today we should review the Wingardium Leviosa charm!" he exclaimed.

Professor Flitwick sputtered. "Mr. Potter-- why, what is the meaning of this? Get down from there right now!"

"It's Christmas time!" exclaimed Harry. "Personally, I love Christmas. It makes me feel so special – and silly as well! I'm sure other people feel the same! Which is why the Wingardium Leviosa charm is perfect for today!"

"Why?" Asked Draco, unable to hold back his curiosity.

Harry winked at him. "Because you can levitate yourself! You can charm your shoes and float in the air!"

The students chuckled as he floated upward.

"Or you can charm a friend!" continued he. "And you could even make them dance!"

Everyone laughed as Ron rose into the air and did a jig of sorts.

"This is not the time for enmity, guys," continued Harry a bit calmer. "The holidays are not the time for fights or quarrels. Everyone should feel special and smile. Wands should be drawn in jest only. Relax…" he smiled. "After Christmas you can go back to being your normal Gryffindor-hates-Slytherin-and-vice-versa selves. Right now… just be happy!" His eyes shone.

Professor Flitwick stomped his little foot. "While you do have a point, Mr. Potter, I demand that you stop this nonsense immediately! You're disrupting the class."

Harry floated down toward him. A slight pout graced his lips. "Don't you like Christmas?" he whispered.

The professor shrugged. "After you've seen as many of them as I have… they really aren't that special anymore."

Harry's eyes shone with sadness. Then, a mischievous glint crept into them, growing steadily larger.

With a little whoop, he climbed back onto his desk. Opening his eyes wide, he began talking.

"_So. You know Christmas's upon us,  
And you kind of really don't care.  
You're depressed, and a little bit lonely…  
And you're kind of hanging your head!_"

He paused to look around the room, into the eyes of each and every person.

_"Well then, 'See through my eyes,' I say.  
'Let me show you what Christmas is like'  
And so what if you don't really celebrate it?  
It should just… feel happy, and right."_

Off to his side, Hermione muttered something into her wand. Out of nowhere, soft music appeared, growing steadily louder. Harry smiled. It was Just Silly Enough.

Draco scribbled something furiously on a piece of paper. With a flick of his wand, it disappeared.

------

Up in his office, Professor Dumbledore was quite shocked to see a bold message appear on his desk.

"_Get Father, and come to 6th year Charms. Now! Draco"_

With a soft chuckle, Albus disappeared.

------

Harry vaulted off his desk, landing next to Hermione and throwing an arm around her shoulders.

"_Reach within you, deeply, I order you.  
Feel the beating of your inner heart."_ He declaimed.

He scurried over to Ron.

_"Find the jingle bells pattern within it.  
And the twinkling of warm Christmas lights!"_

Getting caught up in the rhythm of the song, he skipped around the classroom, his bold voice piercing the room.

"_Step outside and look into the heavens.  
Close your eyes and breathe in the cool air.  
Can you feel it?"_ – He reached out to muss Draco's hair _– "The good Christmas Spirit  
Is so gently ruffling your hair."_

With a soft pop, Dumbledore and Severus appeared in the doorway. Harry's eyes flickered over to them and he grinned in recognition.

"_Look back up at the sparkling starlight,"_ he told the Headmaster.  
_"See the stars twinkle like morning dew.  
Any one of those stars could be Santa." _His gaze drifted to Severus.

"_And another I'll name after you."_

His eyes surveyed the stunned room.

_"Go back in. Let me turn on the fireplace.  
Come, sit down. Feel its warmth on your face.  
No no no, silly, Santa won't burn himself.  
Fine… we'll set it on 'low', just in case."_

The music took a turn for the minor, growing soft 'til it was barely heard.

Harry closed his eyes, swaying to its rhythm softly.

"_Close your eyes, and breathe deeply and evenly,"_ he whispered.  
_"Let your ears grow to elephant size.  
Do you hear the air hum Christmas carols?  
Do you feel your depression's demise?"_

His eyes opened and met Professor Flitwick's.

"_Feel your heart rise with trembling excitement,"_ he ordered.

"_Feel it vibrate with caroling rhymes."_ – Dumbledore's eyes twinkled back at him.

Harry hesitated.

Wet emerald eyes met stunned onyx.

"_Sing out soft. Christmas beauty's upon us,"_ whispered Harry barely audibly, eyes burning Severus to the core. A single tear made its way down his cheek.

_"Feel my tears shimmering in your eyes."_

He bowed his head.

Slowly, the music faded.

Spellbound, the students stared.

----------

Harry flipped onto the enormous bed and stretched out next to Severus. Once over the shock of Harry's performance, Draco forced the both of them back to their chambers, Severus to bed, and Harry to help putting up decorations.

"Tell me about my parents?" Harry asked.

Snape chuckled. "I've told you at least a few times already!" he exclaimed.

"So?" pouted Harry. "I wanna hear again."

"No you don't," huffed Draco from the top of a ladder. "You want to help me put up these decorations."

Harry giggled.

Severus sighed. "Very well… where shall I start..."

He fixed Harry with his best glare. "Your father was a git, of course," he declared. "Arrogant… stuck-up… snotty… everything seemed to come easy to him and he was envied by many."

"Everything but Potions," put in Harry with a grin. "_That_ was _your_ thing, right?"

Severus smiled. "So it was.

"Everything changed when one day he looked at your mother and saw not a bookworm… but the prettiest girl on the planet."

Harry smiled. "Describe her?" he asked.

Their peaceful interaction was interrupted with a loud popping noise.

A small dirty creature was standing in the middle of the room.

Draco looked down, preoccupied with the decorations. "Oh good," he sighed. "I don't care who the heck you are but would you be so kind as to hang this right over there?" Without much ado, he threw the creature a stocking.

The fellow's eyes widened as he caught it.

"You… give this… to me?" he exclaimed.

Draco frowned confusedly.

The creature fell to its knees. "Master is too kind," it sobbed pitifully. "Master is too kind to Dobby. Thank you, Master Malfoy, thank you… Dobby be free now! Dobby be free!!!"

**

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RF's NOTE:** Well, I hope that was long enough for those of you who like long chapters. Anyway… um… not sure when the next update will be, though it Will be done… eventually… school is starting again, so I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to write. If you don't have a fanfiction username and can't put me on author alert but want to know when the next update comes, give me your email address and I will email you as soon as the update is up. Okay? Deal! 

**

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NOTE 2: THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER to vote on Harry's Animagus form. So, guys! VOTE! **

SO, in your review, answer the following question:

**Which Animagus form do you think Harry should have?**

a. Phoenix

b. Mini-Dragon (A real dragon, only not-so-huge)

By the way, mention a particular color if you'd like.

I repeat, this is the **LAST CHAPTER FOR VOTING!!** Cast your vote now!

**

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****NOTE 3: _HUGE THANKS_** go out to all my wonderful reviewers – thank you so much, you really really made me happy. :) 

**lmill123, fiend, Shea Loner, Craw/Brad, jade405, Little Nadeshiko, wildflower-fireandwater, E.A.Saraby, SheWolfe7, mateja007, Micka, Silver-Entrantress-Elf, Wyccegurl, Oh Slashy One, Dragon Smile, ManIACjAcKaL, Rhysel Ash, Kaaera, relative1983, adora-chillwind, sanzo, Aewnaur, Rae, Squrlie Jack, Comfortably Numb, Crissy Potter, Ciarra, Bellatrix-Vecours, dragoncraft, Madame Anjali, clarence, rhianrose, Psyche, Princess-Fictoria, rei, BlackMajenta, Linden Winter, Ruth, Ariestar, kirrdis, ein dwang, nimuesfall, Aquarius Star, websurffer, hermoine21, blackdragonofslytherin, yiota, AniD, Lutheyl, Charlotte, emichan, 'Pyrefly, I was deactivated', Luperus, pheonixelemental, Silver Slytherin, Lydia Blue, Hades' Phoenix, Daniel'sGirl NowNForever, Lady Jillyan Malfoy-Potter, sizzle, snowlight144, **and** debz!!!!**

* * *

And Guys! Great News! _AWESOME THANKS_ go out to **Little Nadeshiko** who actually translated some of my story into German!! Isn't that just incredible?!! So all of you German speakers out there, go to my profile page and you should see a link to the German version of the story. Don't forget to review!! 


	13. On Secrets Told, Words Said&Gifts Given

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

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**

**RF's note:** I'm sorry! Don't hate me! I'm sorry it took me so long to write the next chapter. Things have been sort of crazy, what with school and graduation, and then I had a bad case of writer's block, but FINALLY, thanks in no small part to JKR's new wonderful book (which I finished the day after it came out), I'm back in the writing business. But Fear Not, I will not let Book-6 spoilers into this story for at least a couple of chapters, so as not to spoil the book for anyone.

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**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: **I am announcing that along the way to a happy HPSS pairing, another pairing will enter the picture – Harry/Terry Boot. I'm sorry if that squicks some people, but I just ask to have some faith in the story and trust that everything happens for a reason, and HPSS will be reached. 

Now, on with the story.

**Previously: **

Harry flipped onto the enormous bed and stretched out next to Severus. Once over the shock of Harry's performance, Draco forced the both of them back to their chambers, Severus to bed, and Harry to help putting up decorations.

"Tell me about my parents?" Harry asked.

Snape chuckled. "I've told you at least a few times already!" he exclaimed.

"So?" pouted Harry. "I wanna hear again."

"No you don't," huffed Draco from the top of a ladder. "You want to help me put up these decorations."

Harry giggled.

Severus sighed. "Very well… where shall I start..."

He fixed Harry with his best glare. "Your father was a git, of course," he declared. "Arrogant… stuck-up… snotty… everything seemed to come easy to him and he was envied by many."

"Everything but Potions," put in Harry with a grin. "_That_ was _your_ thing, right?"

Severus smiled. "So it was.

"Everything changed when one day he looked at your mother and saw not a bookworm… but the prettiest girl on the planet."

Harry smiled. "Describe her?" he asked.

Their peaceful interaction was interrupted with a loud popping noise.

A small dirty creature was standing in the middle of the room.

Draco looked down, preoccupied with the decorations. "Oh good," he sighed. "I don't care who the heck you are but would you be so kind as to hang this right over there?" Without much ado, he threw the creature a stocking.

The fellow's eyes widened as he caught it.

"You… give this… to me?" he exclaimed.

Draco frowned confusedly.

The creature fell to its knees. "Master is too kind," it sobbed pitifully. "Master is too kind to Dobby. Thank you, Master Malfoy, thank you… Dobby be free now! Dobby be free!"

**Chapter 13**

Harry froze.

Severus sat up, eyes wide in disbelief at what was happening.

Draco frowned in confusion, stepping off the ladder and coming closer to the creature. "What did you call me?"

Dobby's little brow wrinkled. "Master Malfoy," he repeated. "I see it in your blood." He came closer. "And there" – he pointed to Draco's eyes. "And there" – he motioned vaguely over Draco's face. His eyes widened in confusion suddenly.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, bounding closer to the boy. "Oh, but this is all wrong!" he asserted, his hands waving frantically around Draco's hair. "That isn't right," he repeated.

Draco's eyes flickered to Severus. "Father? What is this lunatic talking about?"

Severus was paralyzed with indecision. He could not simply explain this off in some way. The secret was weighing heavily upon him as it was, and he thought maybe… now that Bill was gone anyway… he could tell Draco the truth. But he was afraid. The boy had an explosive temper, what if he did something stupid? Worse yet – what if he wanted to leave?

Severus' eyes darted to Harry's in search of reassurance. They met only with confusion.

"Um…" ventured Harry, "could somebody tell me what's going on?"

Severus realized the boy had never seen a house elf before. He swallowed heavily, looking down onto his lap. "This is Lucius' servant… a house elf," he muttered. "More like a personal slave really." He took a deep breath. "A house elf is bound to his master and his immediate blood relatives, and can only be freed if his master or a person in whom the blood of his master is present and strong hands him a piece of clothing."

He looked up. Harry's eyes softened into understanding. He reached out to squeeze Severus' hand gently. "Tell him," he whispered. "It's time."

Severus wasn't sure but he thought the boy's eyes were glowing softly. He felt calmed and reassured by their warmth. He looked over into the eyes of his son.

"Tell me it isn't true," whispered Draco, eyes wide. "Tell me it's not true…"

A shrill voice pierced the ensuing silence. "Let Dobby show you!" exclaimed the elf. He jumped and hovered in the air above Draco's head. In feverish jerks, he waved his hands around the boy's hair. Then, with a satisfied nod, he snapped his fingers.

Harry gasped.

Draco's hair was no longer the inky black that was Severus'. Instead, it was the lightest blond, with a trace of glimmering silver.

With another snap, Dobby conjured a mirror. "Here," he bounced, "Dobby did good, yes! Dobby fixed wrong. Master Malfoy all right now."

Draco's eyes widened impossibly as he saw his hair in the mirror. The resemblance now was unmistakable. Slowly, he sank to the ground, a curse forming on his lips and dying out with the shock of it all. "I'm… " his voice trailed off as he struggled to grasp the incomprehensible.

"Yes, Drake," whispered Severus brokenly. "You're Lucius' son."

* * *

For a few minutes, a heavy silence reigned. Harry watched Draco intently, looking for clues to the boy's thoughts. 

Dobby's big eyes moved back and forth between Severus and Draco with a frozen expression of finally knowing he had done something wrong etched into his wrinkly face.

Severus studied the lines in his hands with unnatural concentration, wishing fervently that maybe any second now he would wake up in his warm bed and realize this was but a bad dream.

A loud gasp echoed through the room. In their journey from father to son, Dobby's eyes finally fell upon Harry's forehead. He squealed, bounding closer.

"_Harry Pot--_"

His joyous exclamation was broken off as Draco sprang off the floor, whipping out his wand and pointing it at the creature. His face was set into hard lines, anger evident in every single one.

"Put me back the way I was," he squeezed through his teeth.

Dobby stared at his ex-master's son incredulously, stuttering, "Dobby ddoesn't have to take Mmaster Malfoy's orders anym--"

"_Put me back!"_

Draco stormed closer to the elf, wand poised to curse, when his hand was intercepted. He looked up into the eyes of the man whom for sixteen years he had called 'Father'.

Giving an anguished wail, Dobby disappeared.

With a violent jerk, Draco freed himself from his father's grip, wheeling on him, wand at the ready. "You lied to me!" he yelled. "All my life, you lied to me!"

From the sidelines, Harry watched helplessly as the scene unfolded.

Snape raised his hands in alarm. "Drake--" he started.

"_I don't care!" _roared the boy. "I don't care if it wasn't your fault! You could've had the _decency_ to tell me the truth about who I am, about what Dad _did_ to you!"

Severus hung his head helplessly… inside him his heart was telling him the Draco was right. But he had only wanted to protect the boy…

He looked up at the sound of angry footsteps. "Drake!" he called out.

A violent slam of the door was his only answer.

Slumping dejectedly, Severus turned to his bed. The emotional exertion wore his not-yet-fully-healed body out. His mind was reeling with thoughts of loss. He was only vaguely aware of warm hands tucking him into bed, and a soft voice.

"Give him time," whispered Harry. "Give him time."

* * *

Christmas Day came and went, and Draco's pile of presents under the tree remained untouched. The life-light that was just beginning to glow in Severus' eyes was extinguished once more. 

He poked idly at his dinner.

It was New Year's Eve.

Across the table from him, Harry watched him warily. A feeling was twirling in his stomach… that he had to do something before Severus put up his unfeeling wall again. Sev had been happier than ever in those few days he, Harry, and Draco had together… Harry was sure that Draco felt the same.

Excusing himself softly, he left the room. He rummaged about his room for a piece of parchment… Finally, quill poised over it, he froze with thought. Then, carefully (quills were still somewhat new to him), he wrote three words.

Folding the note carefully, he made his way toward his staff. He prodded the Owl atop of it gently. It blinked at him questioningly.

"Take this to Draco," whispered Harry. "Be quick."

Nodding rather like a human being, the Owl flew out.

* * *

Making his way back into the sitting room, Harry was surprised to see Severus pacing the room nervously, a paper in his hands. 

"Sev?" questioned Harry.

The man looked up, stretching his lips into a tiny smile that didn't quite reach his eyes."I- I have something for you," he said uncertainly, coming closer. "I aimed for Christmas, but I only just finished it last night… had to work from memory, and just… here…" he trailed off, stretching out his hands.

With a little smile of gratitude, Harry took the paper from him.

He drew a quick breath of surprise, realizing that it was a drawing.

_Curled up in front of the very fireplace they stood by, was Harry. A bit of hair had fallen across his face, partly covering it up. But his scar was visible, its lines smoothed down by the dim lights in the chamber. His face was relaxed, the flickering of the fire dancing across it, giving him an almost mystical, magical, mesmerizing appearance. His glimmering hair was etched out in every detail, and with great care, disappearing under his collar. And upon his forehead, next to the famous scar, a dim outline of a kiss was visible. _

Harry looked up, eyes full of tears. "Thank you," he whispered. "I- This…" Unbidden, an image entered his mind, of Severus watching him… drawing him with such care… he swallowed hard.

Coming toward Severus, he hugged him gently. Snape held him close, hands burying themselves just a little in the boy's hair. It fascinated him, but he would never ask.

Harry extricated himself carefully, still standing close. His eyes caught Severus'. Of its own accord, his hand came up to cup the older man's cheek tenderly. With a little knowing smile, he whispered, "I have a feeling someday you will see it, Sev. Just give me… this time, give _me_ time."

The peaceful scene was interrupted by a nervous cough.

Draco was standing in the doorway, with a sheepish smile on his face.

"So…" he whispered hopefully, "Can I still call you Father?"

**

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**

**RF's Note: **Ok, so that was sorta short… do not despair though, the next chapter is already outlined and will be written and published shortly. Don't give up on me just yet. Oh and be patient, we will find out why exactly Dobby wandered into this story.

In other news, the vote is done, and **_thank you all for your wonderful suggestions_**! And, well… y'all will just have to see what I decide on.

**HUGE THANKS to all my wonderful reviewers**… I really hope you'll continue enjoying the story.

**Linden Winter, doublestar, Kaaera, JediCandy, Hannah Abby, flit, E.A.Saraby, athenakitty, Kiyomi22, lee, Little Nadeshiko, Lyla Snape, critic unknown, RainWaters, pisiform, Raskanii, fiend, BlackRaven13, velze, Ashana, Squrlie Jack, dea puella, Madame Anjali, Daniel'sGirl NowNForever, emikae, Death, princess-fictoria, Aticia, Zoe, grey swan, LiLy MaLfOy13, lambentness, Princezz2Di4-Sis-M. Amanda, Shea Loner, pheonixelemental, GY, Cydah, AniD, Luperus, Aquarius Star, wwwendy, outohlucky, Chibi Trix, phoenixfangscar, Lutheyl, Wolfie, madkornfan, AsquealinfgYaoiFanGirl, ChildeofBlackFriday, Eagle-Eyes, saladhawk, IrisOwens, valanthe, lunadea21, pyro420, yeGADS, Hades' Phoenix, debz, deb, King Mana, RiDoFsTaRs, sotty-chan, Kilikapele, pheobe13, Otspock, Cut, Jadite, RangerArcadia, Lieka, LPEJ, MiChAeL BoLtOn, DebzThePadFootmoonyPron, Black Perla, Ikkakujuu, Blue Lycan, and PantherGuide.**

And Guys! Great News! _AWESOME THANKS_ go out to **Little Nadeshiko** who actually translated some of my story into German! Isn't that just incredible! So all of you German speakers out there, go to my profile page and you should see a link to the German version of the story.

_Don't forget to review! Thanks!_


	14. You Have Moons In Your Eyes

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

* * *

**RF's note:** All righty, folks, I'm back in business… just a really quick 2-page chappie today, to let you know I'm alive, and hopefully more to follow fairly soon.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"Class…Class! I should like to have your attention for just a few moments, please."

The stern voice of professor McGonagall was lost in the animated DADA classroom full of Gryffindors, still rowdy from the winter holidays.

In the back of the room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione conversed quietly, catching up on winter stories. With a pained look on his face, Ron was weaving a horrifying tale about the escape of his pet rat, Scabbers, who dared _run_ away and even _bit_ Ron himself.

Harry found himself nodding automatically, as he had already heard the story at least half a dozen times. A corner of his mind noted amusedly that the strength and painfulness of the bite were increasing exponentially with each version of the tale.

In the past few days, everything in the Snape household had straightened itself out. Harry heaved a great sigh of relief as he remembered how easily Draco was forgiven and re-accepted by Sev.

As he had fervently hoped then, all it had taken was a hastily scribbled "he loves you" to set Draco on the right path toward accepting what had happened, and helping him remember that his father still loved him. When he arrived at Severus' doorstep, he was hugged heartily, soft apologies were murmured, and the matter was forgotten in its entirety.

Now winter break was over, and it was the first day of class.

McGonagall tapped the teacher's podium with her wand. "I have an announcement to make."

Slowly, the students settled down.

"Your previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," began she, "has had a tragic accident while skiing in the mountains this past winter break, and as such…"

"He was probably attacked by a Trihorned Snogglydork," called out Luna and the class exploded with laughter.

"And AS SUCH," the Professor's steely tone grew louder, "the Headmaster has hired a new professor to take over his duties. This is he," she motioned toward a dark corner of the room.

The Gryffindors struggled to discern a form in the shadows, but failed.

"His name is Professor Lupin," she continued, "and I ask that you treat him with the utmost respect. That is all. Good day."

Without another word, McGonagall swept out of the room.

For a few moments silence reigned as students strained to catch a glimpse of their new teacher.

Finally, he stepped out of the shadows.

He was a normal man, thin, with golden brown hair and a slightly freckled face. His face was kind, and he exuded the air of a master of his craft.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief… this was not another Snape.

In the back of the room, however, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "My god," he whispered, "who is that man?"

Hermione shot him a look. "Weren't you paying attention? He's the new DADA teacher."

Harry looked back at her calmly. "I didn't ask what he does," he said. "I asked who he is."

Hermione's mouth opened and closed several times, but nothing came out.

Harry turned his eyes back to Lupin. "Don't you see?" he whispered, his body taut with terrified awe. "My god, the pain in that man, the pain… and something more… something raw. He has been broken so many times, his soul screams it, everywhere…and the sound…" he turned his wide eyes on Ron, "the sound… it is not all human."

Ron swallowed hard. "Uh……nnnnnifty."

The man spoke quietly, and his voice held a simple power. "Today we'll be reviewing Protego shields," said he, "does everybody remember those?"

A wave of attentive nods swept through the class.

"Good. Pair up and practice, I'd like to see how good you are. Throw simple jinxes at each other and use Protego shields to block them. To do this, of course, imagine a wall in front of you, swish and flick and distinctly say Protego. Begin."

Almost obediently, the class split into pairs. As the number of students was uneven, Harry, Hermione, and Ron remained together. They worked quietly and efficiently, oddly subdued by the atmosphere of the classroom. Harry's eyes seemed to be glued to Lupin, and he merely chuckled distractedly when Hermione's jinx caught Ron off guard and made him dance a polka.

Lupin was moving swiftly among the practicing pairs, making a suggestion here, throwing a testing jinx there. There was something inhuman in his movements, too. Finally, he approached the trio.

"Mister Potter," he said quietly, "I should like to be your practice partner."

Shrugging imperceptibly, Harry joined him. Lupin extended his hand in silent greeting, and Harry grasped it, testing the man's firm grip. His eyes met Lupin's and delved into him. For a long moment they were still.

Finally Harry looked away. "You have moons in your eyes," he said quietly.

Stunned, the Professor let go. He was about to attempt a reply when—

"Harry, look out!" A shrill feminine voice interrupted them and the two men turned just in time to see a stray jinx flying toward them, a purple cloud of light hurtling through the air.

Without taking time to consider what he was doing, Harry swept the jinx into his hand, quickly curling it into a pulsing ball of light and magic. "Huh…cool," he said, bouncing the ball from one palm to the other.

Growing bored, he held it out to Lupin. "A wayward leg-locker," he said. "You want it?"

Only then did Harry realize, from the stunned looks of everyone in the room, that this was not something a normal wizard could do.

In the deafening silence, Ron softly whined, "How does he _do_ that?"

**

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**

**RF's note 2:** yes yes, I know, it's really short and hastily written, I just wanted to post what I have. Be patient? I've got the next chapter all planned out, and even written chunks of it floating in my mind. All I need is some time….. anyone want to do my homework for me so I can write:-P

* * *

**HUGE THANKS go out to all my wonderful reviewers who have stuck with the story even though it's going reeeeeaaaal slow… please don't give up on me. **Unfortunately, I have neither the means nor the time right now to compile a list of everyone who reviewed, but I will be sure to do that in the next chapter. For now,**_ please accept my sincerest gratitude._**

And Guys! Great News! _AWESOME THANKS_ go out to **Little Nadeshiko** who actually translated some of my story into German! Isn't that just incredible! So all of you German speakers out there, go to my profile page and you should see a link to the German version of the story.

Don't forget to review! Thanks!


	15. Death by Alcoholism

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

* * *

**

**Previously: **"Harry, look out!" A shrill feminine voice interrupted them and the two men turned just in time to see a stray jinx flying toward them, a purple cloud of light hurtling through the air.

Without taking time to consider what he was doing, Harry swept the jinx into his hand, quickly curling it into a pulsing ball of light and magic. "Huh…cool," he said, bouncing the ball from one palm to the other.

Growing bored, he held it out to Lupin. "A wayward leg-locker," he said. "You want it?"

Only then did Harry realize, from the stunned looks of everyone in the room, that this was not something a normal wizard could do.

In the deafening silence, Ron softly whined, "How does he _do_ that?"

**Chapter 15**

"Shewiouvsly, mahn, how _do _youw do iht?" The fact that his mouth was full had never stopped Ron from attempting conversation.

"Rooon!" – Hermione's shrill exclamation of utter disgust did nothing to phase the red-haired boy, though catching the attention of the majority of breakfasting Gryffindors.

Harry laughed weakly. It was the day after he mysteriously caught a jinx in his hands, and the stares he was getting from his schoolmates were becoming more and more of an annoyance, despite the boy's mellow nature. "I just did it," he said. "I didn't think about it."

Hermione nodded wisely. "That is how miracles happen."

Harry promptly choked on his pumpkin juice. "I'm not a miracle worker!" he coughed out, mildly terrified at the thought.

Hermione waved her hand dismissively. "Maybe not yet."

Still coughing, Harry shook his head frantically. Suddenly, he felt a bony arm wrap around his shoulders, and turned to find himself face to face with a strange woman. She was very thin, with thick eyeglasses that magnified her eyes to many times their natural size, giving her the appearance of a rare insect. "Oooooo, child," she moaned, shaking her head sorrowfully, "choking is a sure sign… a sure sign, I'm afraid."

"Sign of what?" asked Harry incredulously, freeing himself of her grip.

The large insect eyes stared at him for a few long seconds. "Death by alcoholism," finally stated the woman definitively, and without another word walked off to sit at the Professors' table.

Bewildered, Harry turned to his friends.

"Trelawney," intoned Ron and Hermione in a chorus, and burst out laughing.

From a few seats away, Seamus pitched in helpfully. "It's really she who should worry about that, Harry. Last time we saw her, she reeked of cooking sherry so much that she fell down the stairs to her tower!"

The whole table was laughing now, and Harry was at ease again when he felt another hand on his shoulder, tapping lightly. Turning, Harry looked up at a nervous-looking boy. He was of medium height, fair-skinned, with light brown hair, amber eyes, cute freckles, and a well-toned look to his body. "Hi," said the boy, squirming slightly, "I'm…I'm Terry, I'm in Ravenclaw, we're…"

"…in the same Healing class, I know," finished Harry gently, shaking Terry's hand. His kind attentive smile seemed to immediately put the boy at ease.

"Yeah," said Terry, visibly relaxing. He looked down on Harry's hand in his, and seemed to hold it for just a heartbeat longer than was necessary. Finally letting go, he gulped as he looked back up into Harry's eyes.

"What brings you here?" said Hermione curiously from across the table.

The boy blinked. "Oh! Oh, right," he giggled nervously. "Harry, I was just wondering if you remember what the Healing homework was… I realized that we have the lesson today and I have no idea what to prepare."

"Hmm," said Harry. "Far as I recall, it was just to practice incision spells… nothing big."

Terry groaned in response. "Oh, man, I'm screwed… I definitely need practice on that."

Harry patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Well, I'll be your partner when we practice in class, if you want… I can help you."

The boy's face lit up. "Really? That's great! Thanks so much, Harry!" With a farewell smile, he ran off.

Finally, Harry turned back to his food, missing the significant looks Ron and Hermione gave each other.

"Um, Harry…Terry's gay, you know," said Ron finally.

Harry looked up. "So? I'm bi. You guys don't have anything against that, do you?"

Ron shook his head quickly. "No! No, man, many wizards and witches are, but I'm just saying…"

"He's saying," interjected Hermione, "that Terry likes you."

Harry scratched his head in thought. "Is that why he was so nervous?"

"Well," said Hermione. "I don't know how much I'd trust that nervousness."

Harry was about to ask what she meant when Severus' voice resounded in his ear. "Harry, I need you in my chambers. Be quick."

Hastily excusing himself, Harry followed his master's call.

From across the Great Hall, Terry Boot watched him go.

* * *

The first thing Harry saw when he entered the living room in Snape chambers was Severus himself, wand out and at the ready, staring into the darkest corner of the room. Bewildered, Harry came to stand at his side. "What are we hunting?" questioned he mildly, eyes scanning the darkness. 

Severus gave an annoyed snort. "That damn house-elf reappeared," he muttered. "I've been at this for two bloody hours, trying to get him to come out."

Realization dawning on him, Harry laughed. "So what do you have your wand out for? He's harmless."

Snape shot him a glare. Smiling charmingly in return, Harry said, "Well, give me some light, will ya? Nice and dim."

Snape mutely projected a dim light from the tip of his wand into the dark corner, revealing the pitiful creature huddled there.

With no further ado, Harry sat down cross-legged on the door. "Hey," he said gently to the creature. "Your name is Dobby, right?"

The house-elf made a little whimper of consent.

"Are you scared, Dobby? Did Professor Snape scare you?" Harry's voice was infinitely patient.

Dobby shook his head side to side… then up and down. "Dobby doesn't like master Snape…scary scary man. But Harry Potter, he knows. Harry Potter is gooooood."

Harry chuckled up at his grumpy professor. "Seriously, Severus, it's like you never had children." Turning to Dobby, he patted his knee. "Come sit with me, Dobby. Come."

Flashing him a dirt-covered grin, the creature scrambled over onto his lap.

"Alright," said Harry, grinning victoriously. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. Professor, if we could have a basin of water?" Suddenly, he burst out with laughter. "Two hours, huh?"

The glare Severus sent him was nothing short of murderous. "Cheeky bastard," he growled.

"Greasy git," giggled Harry back at him, and this time they laughed together, as all of Snape's grumpiness was eroded away by those brilliant emerald eyes.

From the living room doorway, Draco watched this playful banter, his brow furrowed in thought.

* * *

**RF's NOTE: **Okay, well, somewhat of a short chapter, just mainly setup for the chapters to come… but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Hopefully, the next chapter won't come half a year from now but maybe only a few days or weeks because I'm finally on summer break. It should have more key content too, not just fluff. And **Y'all KNOW, **that the best way to get me to write faster is to **REVIEW! **Tell me what you like! Tell me what you don't like! Tell me what you'd like to see! If I like your suggestion, I might even use it! So click the review button and do it! 

**_HUGE THANKS GO OUT TO ALL MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!_**

**_Chap 13 or before: _E.A.Saraby, athenakitty, KC, Remmy Wolf, blulily07, P-chan, Childe of the Night, Tipsy190, Dea Puella, fiend, pheonixelemental, deb, madkornfan, Kaaera, websurffer, Hannah, Kilikapele, Agar, gaul1, foolishbeloved, Primavera-Tiempo, kirrdis, Green Marker, crimson, Hoshiko-Malfoy, Jenna, Sliver of Melody, sari5156, Osaki, Sakura'n'Saber, Alababa, serena23, Otspock, ghellie, Lobarie, GoddessofDestiny419, storywriter10791, Shesshomarulover, Susan Potter, RavenShay, Lee Lee Potter, azntgr01, readerchic, evyominique, demon-flying, airis-mcs, elseedy, daeshie o'rivers, cr, CRAZY IN CALIFORNIA, Winter's Touch, tessa3, DebsTheSnapeFanNow, NeoGetz2063, Sailor911, sernity1806, ShadowCub, Honemaid, Shinigami Clara, and DebsTheSnapeFan!**

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	16. Fatherly Love

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

* * *

**

**Previously: **

Suddenly, Harry burst out with laughter. "Two hours, huh?"

The glare Severus sent him was nothing short of murderous. "Cheeky bastard," he growled.

"Greasy git," giggled Harry back at him, and this time they laughed together, as all of Snape's grumpiness was eroded away by those brilliant emerald eyes.

From the living room doorway, Draco watched this playful banter, his brow furrowed in thought.

**Chapter 16**

Sitting virtually unnoticed in the corner of the living room, Draco watched in confusion as Harry vigorously dried Dobby with a fluffy towel. From a nearby armchair, Severus was keeping an eye on his apprentice and the little elf he had, in no more than 5 minutes, tamed completely.

From his little corner, Draco could see how his Father's eyes sometimes narrowed with carefully shielded anger toward the house-elf, and how immediately those same eyes softened whenever Harry was the object of their focus.

Watching Harry, Draco saw how he lowered his eyelashes shyly whenever Snape looked at him, how he tilted his head almost invitingly whenever he looked up at his master, and how his playful banter carried more subtle overtones that Draco knew all too well.

Harry was flirting, that much was obvious. But what was Father doing? He couldn't be…

Draco shook his head to clear his mind one more time and start his observations over. There was Harry, flirting unashamedly with his master. There was Dobby, almost purring under the fluffy towel. And there was Father, now looking at Dobby with a stony face, and now looking… no, almost staring at Harry with a barely perceptible smile which definitely…_definitely_ reached his eyes.

Draco almost laughed out loud. The conclusion he reached was, once again, utterly ridiculous.

No… no, Father would never fall for the Boy Wonder, no matter how close they'd become.

At that moment, Severus' eyes shifted to Draco himself…and Draco watched in amazement how those usually passionless eyes softened even further.

That's it! That was it! It was nothing more than fatherly love. Fatherly love toward his apprentice, the boy whom, indeed, even Draco had begun to consider as being part of the family. That's right. Draco wouldn't mind having a brother like that.

Looking at Harry again, Draco felt pity swell up inside him. The poor boy was undoubtedly hoping for much more, and Draco couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Jerkily nodding to himself, he resolved to talk with the naïve Savior of the Wizarding World.

* * *

"Just ask him what he knows already!" exclaimed Snape impatiently. 

"Hush," growled Harry. "You'll scare him again."

"So what!" Severus was unrelenting. "I don't care!"

Harry sighed. "Severus, he's just like a little kid. You have to treat him like one."

"What, pamper him?"

"Yes," said Harry firmly. "Pamper."

Without another word, he turned to the house-elf. "Ok, Dobby," he said gently. "What would you like to wear?"

Dobby peeked out of his fluffy towel. "Dobby can choose clothes?" he asked shyly.

Harry laughed softly and petted his head. "Yes, Dobby. What'll it be?"

"Socks!" exclaimed the creature giddily.

Harry giggled. "You like socks, do you? What kind of socks?"

"Dobby likes pretty socks! Pretty pretty! Pretty colors!" The little house-elf was bouncing with excitement.

Severus found himself having to grumble to cover up his smile. "We're wasting time here. Kids are manipulative, you know. He's probably just using you to…"

"_Professor_ Snape," said Harry with a sudden sternness in his voice. "_Kindly _exercise some patience."

The boy's tone of voice was so much like Severus' that the older man could only gape and then burst out laughing.

Harry grinned. "Ok," he said. "Now, here's what I want you to do. Go to the Headmaster, and ask him for his craziest pair of socks. And I guess you can ask him if he wants to take part in his questioning."

Nodding, Severus left.

Rising from his corner, Draco decided that this was his chance.

Sitting down next to the dark-haired boy, he thought of how best to phrase his thoughts.

"Harry…" he started. The boy looked at him questioningly. "You… you like my father, don't you?"

Harry blinked.

"I mean," continued Draco, deciding that there was no turning back now, "you kind of have a crush on him, don't you?"

* * *

Dazed, Harry Potter walked into the hospital wing where his Healing class was held, and sat down. His mind was swimming with confusion. 

_Fatherly love?_

Was he to believe that something he had so clearly perceived from Severus was, in fact, fatherly love?

_Your senses have failed you before, _whispered his mind.

He chased the thought away.

_Draco wouldn't lie. He knows his father. _

"Shut up," muttered Harry under his breath.

"I…didn't say anything," said a voice next to him.

Harry blinked and looked up. Terry was staring at him warily.

"Oh." Harry forced a grin. "I'm sorry, I was talking to myself."

Terry smiled charmingly. "That's quite alright. The discussion must have been fascinating… you missed Madam Pomfrey's directions. We are to practice incising and healing on each other."

Harry nodded. Pushing his thoughts away, he forced himself to focus on the task.

Tentatively, almost shyly, Terry took his hand. "May I practice first?" he whispered, looking up into Harry's eyes. There was something sultry in his voice. Almost imperceptibly, his thumbs rubbed little circles on Harry's palm.

Against his own will, Harry shivered and instantly suppressed the shiver. "Okay," he nodded, but Terry's gaze lingered, and suddenly Harry let his senses plunge into his eyes, seeking and finding his feelings. The boy was like an open book, and soon he found admiration for him, desire, and…love. Harry was stunned. Although much of his shyness was just an act, this boy seemed to genuinely be attracted to him...and, in fact, love him.

Harry pulled his senses back, and after a moment of exhilaration, realized exactly what he had done.

He paled, terrified at the thought of having just violated the holiness of someone's mind. He cursed.

Terry touched his shoulder gently. "Are you ok?" he said, sounding truly concerned.

Harry winced. "Yes, I'm fine," he whispered. "Just fine. Carry on."

_Why had he done that?_

To assure himself that his senses never deceived him. To see someone's feelings and know that he sees truth, not lies.

But in Severus… could it be that he saw wrong? Could fatherly love be so similar to romantic?

_You could look again," _whispered his mind. _"You could look into Severus' mind. He'd never know."_

No! Harry shook his head. No, he thought. He would never violate Severus like that. He cared for him and respected him too much for that.

He winced again as Terry made an especially clumsy incision on his palm. Terry winced with him, and healed the cut quickly. "Sorry," he smiled up at him, "I'm terrible at this."

Harry smiled encouragingly. "You'll get better." Already in his mind, Severus was slipping out of his grasp, slipping… And there was nothing left but paying attention to this peculiar boy's advances.

Moved by a sudden inspiration, Terry brought Harry's hand to his lips and kissed it gently.

Forcing the image of Severus' eyes out of his mind, Harry didn't suppress the delicate shiver that ran through him at the touch.

* * *

Dinner was always a festive occasion in the Snape household, thought Severus contently as he watched his two favorite teenagers. 

Earlier that day, Dobby had been gently questioned by the Headmaster about the reason he came to be in the Snape household. Trusting the twinkling old man completely, Dobby had easily revealed that he was sent by Lucius to find out if Severus was dead or alive, or, more accurately, "when he might have the pleasure of attending his funeral." Closing his eyes, Snape recalled the experience.

* * *

"But Dobby didn't tell the master that master Snape was alive, no sir!" exclaimed the elf excitedly. "Dobby be good, Dobby's master be bad, even badder than master Snape!" 

The Headmaster laughed heartily, and looked pointedly at Snape. "Would you like to see some real magic, my boy?"

Snape blinked. "Are we usually dealing with _fake _magic here?" he drawled snidely.

"Yes," said the Headmaster. "Give him the socks we brought."

Snape scoffed. "Why?"

"Trust an old man, won't you?" The "old man"'s eyes flashed.

Grumbling at the ridiculousness of the idea, Snape squatted awkwardly and offered the socks (colored in patterns that made his head swim) to the little creature.

Dobby's eyes grew to twice their normal size. "This…master Snape gives Dobby this?"

Snape nodded grumpily. "Yes, Dobby, these are for you," he said.

Within seconds, the creature pulled the socks on and flung itself at Severus, hugging his ankle and weeping emotionally. "Master Snape is so nice to Dobby…Dobby doesn't deserve such niceness…master Snape is such a wonderful man…."

Dumbledore could only laugh at Severus' stunned reaction to this complete turn-around. With a flourish of his wand, he conjured a tunic to match Dobby's new socks, and was gone.

* * *

Thus it was decided that Dobby would stay in the Snape chambers, as a pet and a little helper in Harry's daily tasks. Snape smiled. Everything was going great. 

And at the moment, Draco and Harry were racing to establish a new champion in a pudding-eating contest. Both were stuffed to the core, and yet neither gave up. Friendly competition, of course.

The older man sighed happily. "Some days, I could swear the two of you are really brothers."

Harry stopped short, forcing the last of pudding down his throat.

_Brothers. _

No, it couldn't be. He searched Severus' face carefully. It's just an expression, isn't it?

_Is it?_

Harry shook his head and made his way to the kitchen for a new batch of tea.

Why would his perceptions lie to him?

And suddenly he knew. He staggered under the weight of his realization.

"Are you ok?" called out Draco.

"Yeah… yeah," muttered Harry. "I'm fine." He stumbled out of the room.

Snape was an Occlumens. A most successful one. Who knew what kinds of vibes Harry could get from him. They didn't have to be true. His true feelings were carefully shielded.

Harry rested his forehead against the cool wood of the kitchen counter.

"I felt what I wanted to feel," he whispered. "Just what I wished for."

At that moment, almost as divine confirmation of these terrible words, Harry heard a snippet of conversation carried from the dining room.

"…wouldn't it be great if he were really part of the family?" Draco was asking. "Really my brother? He looks up to you so much, you know."

A pause. And then:

"Yeah…" said Snape faintly, "Yeah, Drake… I guess it would."

With a strangled cry, Harry ran out.

* * *

Harry wandered the deserted hallways of Hogwarts… the moon shone down on him, but he did not, could not feel its blessing. He felt lost, so helplessly lost with despair… he thought he had found true love, thought he had found the one who would love him with perfect simplicity, thought he could see it in his eyes. But it wasn't so, it was just fatherly love… fatherly love he had mistaken for something so much bigger, so much more beautiful. Collapsing in a corner, Harry wept. Scenes flashed before his eyes, scenes of laughing together, bantering playfully… The lonely days they shared together… The gift Severus had given him…was it fatherly too? It had to be. 

It had to be. Draco was right.

From a distant past, Uncle Vernon's voice resounded in his head. "Who would ever love a freak like you?" A freak. _A freak. _That's what he was, even here, even in this world… standing out as much as he had with the Muggles.

Desperate tears streamed down Harry's face. Unbidden, lyrics came to mind… echoing… echoing… pouring salt on his bleeding wound.

_Never knew I could feel like this…_

_Like I've never seen the sky before……_

_Want to vanish inside your kiss………_

But he would never get his wish. Never. _Never._

A name formed and died on his lips. "Severus," he whispered. _Severus._

Great wings flapped nearby, and the Owl landed on Harry's shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately, offering what little comfort he had.

Finally, Harry could cry no more. Curling up in a ball, the world's broken-hearted savior fell into exhausted sleep.

Out of the darkness, the Badger ambled slowly and settled by his master's feet.

Magnificent wings bore the Eagle toward them, and grew until they could blanket the White Mage fully.

The Snake slithered toward them, and curled around the boy, laying its head at his knees.

Finally the great Lion stepped up to him, pressing his cold nose against Harry's forehead. The Badger whined softly, and a solitary tear made its way down the Lion's wizened face.

Surrounding their master, protecting him in his moment of weakness, the Animals bowed their heads and wept with grief for his sorrow.**

* * *

**

**RF's note:** Lyrics used are from the Moulin Rouge's "Come What May". Well, obviously a lot of different emotions in this chapter… tell me what you like, what you don't like. Personally, I kind of like the ending there… tell me what you think about it.** PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEWS MAKE THIS WRITER TICK! **

_**AND: **_I have a question for y'all. I'm thinking of going back and giving actual names to chapters... so if you have suggestions for good chapter names, please share them! Thanks!

_**HUGE THANKS GO OUT TO ALL MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!**_

**Hannah, fiend, gaul1, Touch of the Wind, dancin' monk, alwaysariyana, E.A.Saraby, pUppetEEr-NiNja, Sliver of Melody, hittocerebattosai, naz, Bezzie, Pendecardiel, websurffer, Adnexus, Hekate101, MegMeg, sodapop88, Sahira, TheSmallestGhost, Yaya2805, SilverDragonWings, sernity1806, Dea Puella, HevenSentHellBroken, Naniwoiutennen, sozuroyoku, Lost-in-NYC, Susan Potter, The Emperor Nero, Serpent91, chrystalic, Slytherin Vampwhore, and Lady Pheonix Ice Angel – Shadowpheonix!**

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	17. The Broken Boy

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

* * *

Previously: **

"…wouldn't it be great if he were really part of the family?" Draco was asking. "Really my brother? He looks up to you so much, you know."

A pause. And then:

"Yeah…" said Snape faintly, "Yeah, Drake… I guess it would."

--

A name formed and died on Harry's lips. "Severus," he whispered. _Severus._

Great wings flapped nearby, and the Owl landed on Harry's shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately, offering what little comfort he had.

Finally, Harry could cry no more. Curling up in a ball, the world's broken-hearted savior fell into exhausted sleep.

**

* * *

Chapter 17 **

"_Pay attention, Mr. Potter!"_

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey," muttered Harry, looking up from his parchment tiredly.

From across the room, Terry eyed him worriedly. Something was very wrong with the normally smiling boy. In the past two weeks, all the life seemed to have left Harry's eyes, leaving in its wake an inexplicable sadness. The boy became aloof and silent, keeping away from Terry and his classmates. Even during paired practices in Healing class, he took a habit of slipping into the back of the room and practicing there quietly by himself.

Previously, Terry had left him alone, giving him time to deal with whatever grief was plaguing him. But today, he had had enough. Thus, when Madam Pomfrey called for people to pair up, Terry found himself following Harry to the back of the room.

Wordlessly, he sat next to the depressed boy. Tentatively, his hand came up to rest on Harry's shoulder. "Wanna talk about it?" he whispered gently.

Looking up, as if noticing him for the first time, Harry mustered a tired smile. "I'm sorry, Terry," he muttered. "It's just that... I've got to figure something out, you know? Figure out a way to be me again."

Terry nodded slowly. "But what made you stop being you?"

Harry laughed softly. His tear-filled eyes came up to meet the other boy's. "A broken love, of course," he whispered.

Terry winced inwardly, and prepared himself for the pang of jealousy he knew would come soon at the thought of Harry loving someone else.

A second later, he froze, realizing the pang didn't come. His eyes widened as he explored his own feelings and found that all he felt was sadness for Harry, and the desire to comfort him. Delving further into himself, he realized that, in a few short weeks, this broken boy had truly made him care for him, and love him purely.

Terry had had his share of lovers, none of them lingering for long, and Harry had been just another (albeit ambitious) conquest for him. But now, shockingly, Terry found that, instead, Harry had conquered _him_, and his bottomless green eyes had captured his heart.

Terry felt no possessiveness toward him. He wanted him to be happy, no matter who it was with. He wanted to protect him.

Next to him, Harry was finally crying softly, unable to hold his grief in.

Wordlessly, Terry scooped the boy into his arms and held him close.

* * *

"_Pay ATTENTION, Potter!"_

Harry winced inwardly. He was getting really fed up with every single professor yelling that exact phrase at him. Clenching his jaw, he looked up from his smoking cauldron into Professor Snape's face.

"Yes sir, sorry sir," he muttered, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice.

Snape's snide drawl intensified even more as he fixed Harry with his best glare. "Mr. Potter," he spat. "_Kindly_ repeat the last set of directions I dictated to the class."

Harry took a calming breath. "I'm sorry, sir, I can't do that."

Snape nodded, a derisive grin appearing on his face. "You're incompetent, Potter. Truly your father's son. Fifteen points from Gryffindor."

Harry closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears that were suddenly struggling to spill forth. This was Severus' role, he knew. He was a Death Eater; he was supposed to treat Harry with all the hate and unfairness he could muster.

But just at that moment, Harry couldn't handle it. He wanted the man to comfort him, to wrap him up in an embrace and let him cry. Instead, all he was hearing was hate.

Opening his eyes, he jerkily reached for the next ingredient for his potion.

At that moment, a stray tear managed to escape his eye, and plunged straight into his cauldron.

With a terrified gasp, Harry realized exactly what the salt in that tear would do to the reaction currently boiling in the cauldron.

A second later, the traitorous drop made contact with the potion, and Harry's world exploded in a violent fiery burst. Gratefully, he let darkness overtake him.

* * *

Swimming back into consciousness and wrinkling his nose at the acute smell of medicine surrounding him, Harry groggily reached his hand back to make sure his hair was still safely hidden away. 

In retrospect, he decided this was a rather stupid move, being a dead give-away that he was awake. Immediately, one body and a set of arms were thrown around his neck, another (smaller) body bounced onto his legs, and a chorus of "Harry!" echoed through the room.

"Harry, you're awake!" sounded an extremely loud voice right by his ear. Wincing, Harry considered faking a seizure followed by a smooth pass back into unconsciousness. Sighing and dismissing the option, he pried Draco's arms away. "Yes, Drake, I'm awake."

Warily, he cracked an eye open. _Oh, boy._

Dobby was curled up happily on top of Harry's legs, while Draco was jumping up and down by the head of his bed; Severus was standing nervously at his feet; Madam Pomfrey and the Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Lupin were seated in cushiony-looking armchairs; and Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Terry seemed to be doing homework on a nearby table. Every single pair of eyes in the room was trained on Harry, and Harry alone.

With a groan, he shut his eyes again. "Alright," he croaked, "how long was I out?"

"Only a day," supplied a distinctly Hermionish voice, "But we were all very worried."

"No… I couldn't tell," muttered Harry. In the corner of his conscious he wondered when exactly his mind had turned into a sarcastic snarky bastard. Cracking an eye open again, and glaring at everyone in view, he wondered if it was Severus' influence.

"Do y'all mind?" he quirked a Snapish eyebrow. "I've gotta pee."

Finally springing into action, Severus helpfully rushed everyone out of the room, and by the time Harry returned from the loo, they were left alone. Slipping back into bed, Harry opened his mouth to express his gratitude, when he was assaulted with an angry yell.

"What the _HELL _were you thinking!" Snape looked positively enraged.

Harry's jaw closed with a snap. "Um…" he ventured uncertainly.

Snape stormed closer. "What the hell were you thinking putting salt in that potion!"

Harry opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

"…When just _moments_ earlier I had mentioned the magnitude of the explosion that would result if just a tiny drop of salt was added to it!"

"I…" Harry attempted to get a word in, but was unsuccessful.

Severus' face was twisted with anger. "Talent alone will get you nowhere," he yelled. "I don't care what kind of potions genius you are, I don't care how much of an intuition you have for it, that all amounts to _NOTHING _if you can't follow some _bloody simple directions!_"

Harry blinked as tears assaulted his eyes and fiery pain spread through his body. His master's words had hurt him deeply, and, he believed, unfairly.

"It's true, I wasn't paying attention," he said quietly. "But I knew what salt would do to the potion."

"Well, then, how _dense_ do you have to be to have done it anyway?" Snape's anger was calming slowly, and he was visibly pained by the boy's tears.

Harry hugged himself sadly, and looked directly into Severus' eyes. His words, when they came, were barely audible.

"It was a tear, you bastard."

Realization appeared in Snape's eyes, and shame burned on his cheeks, but Harry didn't see it, having turned away and curled up in a fetal position as soon as the words were said.

Hanging his head, Severus realized just how much he had failed the boy just now. Harry had been so sad over the past weeks, of course it was a tear… of course. A simple accident.

Coming closer to the bed, Severus whispered, "I'm so sorry, Harry… I should not have yelled. I should have asked you first."

Silence was his only answer.

Snape felt anguish spread through his body. "I just… I was so worried about you, Harry," he begged quietly, touching the boy's back lightly.

"Right, because I'm like a son to you," Harry muttered, and Severus jerked his hand back, as if burnt.

_Son? _he thought, his head swimming in confusion. "I…huh?" he asked intelligently.

"Never mind," said Harry, curling up even more. "I forgive you for your anger. I'd like to get some sleep now, if you don't mind."

Feeling inexplicable sadness spread through him, Severus closed the curtains around Harry's bed and wordlessly left.

* * *

"Albus, I'm so worried about him," lamented Severus between sips of his fifth cup of calming chamomile tea. "He's been a completely different person these past two weeks, and I'm afraid that today I just made it much worse…so much worse." He let out a strangled sob and bit down on a scone. 

Albus tisk-tisked sympathetically. "My dear boy, we are all prone to folly. Your anger today was a big error in judgment, but the important thing is that you acknowledged your mistake. We both know how forgiving Harry's spirit is. I am sure everything will be fine."

Snape shook his head. "But Albus… I haven't seen him truly smile in two weeks. Something's bothering him, something has happened, and I do not know what it is or how to deal with it. I'm almost afraid of ever leaving him alone all by himself."

Albus' eyes were twinkle-less as the wise man considered what Severus was saying. Finally, he nodded slowly. "I have something for you." Finding a stray piece of parchment, he drew a symbol on it and handed it to Snape.

"This," he said, "is something that only works between apprentices and their masters, an ancient privilege the masters had. If you wish to see what Harry is doing or where he is, just choose a smooth surface, trace this symbol on it with your wand, and say _"Pikkendo"._ The surface will become a window into what Harry is doing."

Severus stared at the Headmaster dubiously. "I could never violate his privacy like that," he said, shaking his head, pushing the parchment away.

Something hard gleamed in Dumbledore's eyes as he forced the paper into Severus' hands. "I'm not saying you should abuse this privilege, or even use it," said he. "Just…be aware it exists."

Understanding that this tea party was over, Severus left.

* * *

Gentle fingers glided down the line of Harry's spine. With a start, the boy realized that he was topless, and his long hair flowed freely down his back. He felt tentative fingers card through it, and then a warm presence molded itself to his back, pale arms enveloping him. 

He leaned back into the touch, humming his approval as warm breath ghosted up his neck. Teeth closed around his earlobe gently, and Harry shivered when he felt their gentle tug. His shiver was echoed deliciously by the body he was pressed against.

Then his ear was let loose, a gentle tongue soothed the bite, and a painfully familiar voice whispered, _"Harry………"_

Harry's head dropped back onto his lover's shoulder. "_Oh Sev……" _he breathed, craning his neck, his lips seeking...searching…

Then a bright light suddenly flooded his vision as the curtains around his bed were thrown open and he felt Severus' arms slipping away.

Shaking, with a strangled cry, Harry sat up on his bed at the Hospital Wing.

"Sorry to wake you, dear," sounded Madam Pomfrey's voice, and a vial was thrust into his field of view. "I need you to take this potion."

Numbly, Harry nodded and swallowed the substance that was offered to him.

When the curtains around him were redrawn and darkness resumed, Harry once again curled up in a ball and cried.

* * *

It was thus that Terry found him hours later, when night finally descended onto the Hogwarts grounds. 

"How're you doing?" he whispered gently, sitting lightly on the bed beside the broken boy.

Harry was staring numbly into space, finally out of tears to shed. "Ok, I guess," he mumbled.

Terry shook his head and chuckled softly. "Liar."

A spark of life appeared in Harry's eyes as they slowly traveled to meet Terry's. "How come you're here?" he asked curiously.

"Because I care about you," said Terry honestly. "I thought you might want some comforting company."

"Not really, no," muttered Harry bitterly.

Not taken aback in the slightest, Terry continued, "…but when I realized you'd definitely say no to that, I thought I might have a bit of useful advice."

Harry regarded him silently.

"Well," said Terry, reaching to rub the boy's shoulder gently, "I read a lot of books, you see. And there's a thing there in a lot of them… I call it pure love." He fell silent, waiting for some response.

"Okay," said Harry, unable to hold back his curiosity. "Continue."

"Well, it's like… people who love purely, they… all that matters to them is that the person whom they love is happy and healthy, you know? And if it so happens that the person is happy with someone else, not with you, well then, it sucks, but you get over it because you know that they are happy, and so you're happy for them. You know?"

Harry nodded slowly, processing this information.

"So like… I guess you could sort of see if maybe you could have that attitude toward your…broken love," finished Terry clumsily, and blushed.

Harry couldn't help but smile at the boy's blush. "Yeah…" he said, feeling something inside him suddenly sort itself out. "Yeah, you're completely right. That is how it should be… in fact, that's how it is, I've just been enjoying moping around, I guess." He smiled sheepishly.

Terry laughed and jumped off the bed. "Well, I have something to help the moping, too!" he exclaimed, offering Harry his hand. "Come on, I want to show you something."

* * *

When he saw where Terry brought him, Harry couldn't hold back a gasp. 

"Merlin, it's beautiful!" he exclaimed.

Terry laughed. They were standing on the very top of the Astronomy Tower. Above them was a sea of twinkling stars, and below them was an ocean of lights from distant cities.

"In fact," continued Harry, "it's bloody magnificent! I wish I knew what all those constellations are…"

"Well," said Terry, coming closer to the boy, "that right there is the Big Dipper…and then a bit over there is Orion the Protector."

"He's a protector? What's he protect?"

"I dunno…" said Terry. "Blokes like me and you, I guess." He grinned sheepishly and then drew Harry to the very edge of the Tower. "You know," he said, gazing down into what almost seemed like an endless depth, "sometimes I wish I could jump off this Tower and just... fly for a glorious minute. I think it would feel like true… _real… _freedom…" he trailed off wistfully.

As Harry considered the quirky boy before him, he was suddenly struck by an idea.

Reaching out mentally toward his staff, he found the Owl's presence. "That wouldn't happen to be within my abilities, would it?" he inquired.

"Jumping off buildings?" replied the Owl. "Certainly. All you need to do is cast a silence bubble around yourself and your companion, and jump. Then when the ground gets too close, you slow everything down and land safely."

Harry put a mental frown on his face. "What if I mess up?" He quirked a mental eyebrow.

"Do you feel like you will?"

Exploring his feelings, Harry found that he felt completely confident about the affair. He realized that was his answer. Thanking the Owl, he grinned when he realized Terry was staring at him. "Sorry," he started, "I was…"

"…talking with yourself again," finished Terry gently. Both boys chuckled, and then Terry's breath hitched as Harry reached for his hand and clasped it gently but firmly.

"Do you trust me?" asked Harry, meeting Terry's eyes.

Terry was mesmerized. "Yes," he breathed, stepping closer to the taller boy.

"Okay," the boy-wonder nodded, "Scream all you want."

Without another word, the boys stepped off the tower.

Whooping in exhilaration and terror, they plummeted toward the ground. Air was rushing past their ears, and everything grew blurry as they picked up speed.

Immediately, Harry understood what Terry had meant. This _was _perfect freedom, perfect carelessness, because there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was fall, and for a few moments he thought he would fall forever.

Finally, when Harry saw the earth get uncomfortably close, he closed his eyes and let out a long breath…he felt the world around him slow down and come to a halt in mid-air. In the corner of his mind he wondered exactly how he had done it. He shook the thought away, afraid it might somehow undo the magic. He was the only moving thing in a world of stillness, and that was good enough for him. Nodding with satisfaction, he righted himself into a standing position, and then glided over to Terry. The boy had somehow twisted himself into facing up, even though he was falling down, so without much ado Harry scooped him into his arms and hugged him securely against his chest.

He let the world take off again, much slower this time, and soon his feet touched the ground gently. For Terry the short break had gone unnoticed. Trembling, he curled into a little ball and pressed himself against Harry's chest. It was a few long moments before he could speak.

"That," he gasped out, "was the most exhilarating…and the most terrifying thing I've ever done."

With a wordless smile, Harry set him down.

But Terry didn't move away. Tentatively, and then more boldly, his left arm slipped around Harry's slender waist, and his right hand reached to take Harry's palm and press it into his hip. He watched his right hand intently as it traveled up Harry's torso…touching lightly…until it settled on his shoulder.

Harry regarded the boy silently, neither encouraging, nor pushing him away.

Finally, Terry gazed into the eyes of the man he already knew he loved. He gazed deep and let his love show, and let his desire show also. He smiled when he felt Harry's heart beat a little quicker.

His hand came up, and his fingers trailed down Harry's face. "You're so beautiful, Harry," he whispered, and Harry trembled in response.

Terry let his eyes travel the taller boy's face, and his lips parted to let out a shuddering breath.

Harry felt his gaze caress his face, felt his love, and longing. He knew that inside him something, too, was trembling…yearning. His broken heart, broken by a lost hope, was longing for the comfort of another. His emerald eyes searched Terry's with desperation.

"Don't destroy me," they silently begged. "_I will never love you the way I love him,"_ they whispered.

But in Terry's eyes, in his parted lips and heaving chest, he saw the answer. "Love me as much or as little as you can," they answered. _"Just love me,"_ they breathed.

And in his heart Harry knew he had surrendered. Wordlessly, he cupped the boy's face. Wordlessly still, he caressed his lightly stubbled jaw.

But when their lips touched, he jerked back as pain like fire went through him, and his mind's eye was invaded with eyes black as night but clear as day, looking at him and speaking so plainly of hurt and betrayal.

Harry shook his head, clearing the image away. Severus would never, could never love him. This boy could.

Again his lips sought and found Terry's, and this time did not pull away, but nipped lightly, and then more insistently, finding a willing partner. Soon his tongue, too, slipped out and joined the sensual dance.

Terry trembled with dizzy desire as he drowned in the kiss but did nothing to intensify it, knowing this wasn't the time for it, and holding himself tightly in check. His hands stayed where they were, although they longed to touch his lover's skin.

There was no rush, he knew.

The savior of the world was finally his.

* * *

Far away in his chambers, Severus' eyes shot open as he emerged from a nightmare, nightmare of pained green eyes as they were tortured by a thousand curses. 

Shaking, he was enveloped by a singular need to see his apprentice, to be assured that he is safe.

Mindlessly fumbling for his wand, he drew the secret symbol, and muttered, "Pikkendo."

A gasp of pain escaped him as he saw the boys' embrace, and heard a single soft moan spill from Harry's throat.

With a silent anguished cry, Severus' heart shattered, and he wept.

**

* * *

RF's NOTE:** Wow, long chapter… perhaps a bit rushed, but I sort of like it anyway.** Tell me what you like! Tell me what you don't like!** Remember, reviews complEtely make my day. They're totally what I live for during the couple days after I post a chapter. **The review doesn't have to be long, it just has to BE.**

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	18. Understanding

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**

* * *

**

**Previously: **

Terry trembled with dizzy desire as he drowned in the kiss but did nothing to intensify it, knowing this wasn't the time for it, and holding himself tightly in check. His hands stayed where they were, although they longed to touch his lover's skin. There was no rush, he knew.

The savior of the world was finally his.

**-----**

Mindlessly fumbling for his wand, Severus drew the secret symbol, and muttered, "Pikkendo."

A gasp of pain escaped him as he saw the boys' embrace, and heard a single soft moan spill from Harry's throat.

With a silent anguished cry, Severus' heart shattered, and he wept.

**Chapter 18**

The following morning did not find one Severus Snape in a good mood. Not at all. His head was pounding, his heart was giving random flutters, and his stomach had a very bad feeling at the pit of it. Mostly, however, Snape was enraged. Enraged with himself.

_Foolish man,_ ranted his mind. _How stupid would you have to be to think that the Savior of the Wizarding world cared for you? **Romantically!** _

He scoffed. Analyzed with a logical clear-minded eye, the idea was ridiculous. Ridiculous! Why he indulged himself in it for so long, Severus did not know.

Storming into the living room, he rang for tea. "At least the brats aren't here," he muttered.

"Well," sounded a melodic voice. "That's where you're wrong."

Snape made a 360 degree spin to find the owner of said voice, and blinked in befuddlement when said owner wasn't revealed by his search.

The voice chuckled softly. "Up here."

Looking up, Severus jumped with surprise. Four feet above him, Harry was floating cross-legged, his face relaxed, and his eyes closed. Next to him floated a tray laden with biscuits and tea.

Snape gawked, ignoring the twisting feeling at the pit of his stomach and the flash in his mind's eye of the scene he glimpsed last night. All the anger went out of him in a single breath, and what was left was simply the fact that even the boy's voice radiated love. Snape didn't know what to make of it.

"Whatcha doin' there, Harry?" sounded a new voice. Draco was standing in the doorway, combing his slightly damp hair carelessly with his fingers.

"Meditating," said Harry in a lilting tone. "And you've got Transfiguration in five minutes. Off you go."

Draco waltzed out.

Snape looked back up at Harry. "Meditating?" he inquired. "And, forgive my nosiness, but what charm are you using to keep that tray up there? I don't see your wand…"

Harry smiled. "No charm," he said. "Just force of will."

Suddenly Severus felt himself grasped by an invisible force. Sufficiently shocked already, he watched passively as his feet lifted off the floor and he drifted toward Harry, finally coming to a halt directly in front of him. He squirmed.

"Don't worry, I've got you," said Harry softly. "Make yourself comfy. Pretend there's a huge cushion under you. You're safe, I promise."

Sighing, Severus tried to imagine a cushion, and failed. In an attempt to take his mind off the ten feet of emptiness beneath him, he poked Harry's leg with a finger. "No, really, what are you doing here?" he asked, trying to sound lighthearted. In his heart, havoc reigned as he tried to come to terms with the events of last night. Deep inside, he knew nothing should change. He loved the boy purely and unconditionally. He just wanted him to be happy. In practice, however, this was easier said than done.

"Meditating," intoned Harry without opening his eyes. "Have a biscuit and some tea, Sev'rus. I've been keeping them warm."

Snape complied. "But why?" he asked in between bites.

"I'm sure you've noticed that my feelings have behaved rather like I'm bipolar lately."

"Bipolar?" Snape quirked an eyebrow, though the boy couldn't see it.

"Oh…Muggle condition, I guess. Makes you have violent mood swings and the like."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I'm trying to find my focus again."

"Oh."

Silence fell for a few long minutes while Severus steeled himself for what he knew he had to do. Finally, he knew it was time.

He blinked back the tears that suddenly assaulted him. "I saw you with Terry last night," he whispered.

Harry's eyes flew open and he gasped when he saw the pain written in Severus' gaze. He swayed dangerously and Snape felt himself plummet toward the ground, along with the tea tray.

Managing to take control, Harry closed his eyes and an invisible hand grabbed Severus just barely a foot above the floor.

With a loud clank, bang, and splash, the tea tray let them know that it wasn't so lucky.

Pulling Severus back up to his height again, Harry opened his eyes and surveyed his master's face. Impulsively, his hand reached to touch Snape's cheek. "My god, what happened to you?" asked Harry tearfully. "You look… Severus, you look heartbroken."

Snape looked down, tears now freely streaming down his face. "I saw you with Terry," he repeated. "Dumbledore gave me a spell that I can use to check up on you. It's the first time I've used it, I swear, I would never invade your privacy like that, but I woke up from a nightmare and I had to, had to see you, and…" he knew he was babbling but he didn't care.

Quietly, Harry drew him into his arms and lowered both of them onto the living room couch. "Severus, I don't understand," he whispered, rubbing his back soothingly.

Snape pulled back from his embrace jerkily. "What's to understand," he cried, looking up to meet his young apprentice's eyes. "Surely…surely you must know how I feel about you?"

Harry was stunned, his mind reeling. There was only one explanation for this reaction from Sev, but hadn't Draco told him it was impossible? Hadn't he?

"Draco told me," he managed to say, "Two weeks ago, Draco said… said you love me like a father would love a son. Then I heard you confirm it…at the dinner table…saying you wanted me to be part of your family."

Stunned, the two men stared at each other as realization entered their minds.

Oh god," moaned Harry, clasping his head between his palms. "What have I done?"

He jumped up suddenly, his eyes frantic as he exclaimed, "I can fix it! I can fix everything. I'll… I'll talk to Terry! He'll understand, I know he will, and you and I can still… we can… be… I know I can fix it, I'll just…"

"No."

This quiet word made Harry stop in his tracks. He dropped to his knees before the man he loved, turning his tear-streaked face up to look into his eyes. "Why not?" he pleaded. "I was an idiot. You love me. I know you do."

Severus' hand moved to cup Harry's cheek gently. "The choice you have already made is best for everyone," he whispered barely audibly, shaking.

"No…No!" Harry was hysterical. "Why would you say that?"

"I think," Snape's voice quivered, "that deep in your heart you know I'm right."

Harry shook his head violently. "No…" he cried. "That's not true."

"Harry…" whispered Severus, calmer now, "you are yet too young, and I am too old. I am your master, and you are my apprentice. You need to be with someone with whom you can grow up."

Harry was shaking still, and Severus reached to steady him gently. "The White Mage is strong in you," he continued, "but not yet strong enough. Your life must be calm enough for you to learn and for your power to prosper. A relationship with a Death Eater won't do that for you, Harry. Terry will. I have seen him. The boy is the steadiest support you could have chosen for yourself. You chose well."

"No…" Harry mouthed. "No… I don't want him, I want _you._"

"I'm not going anywhere, Harry. I will be here for you for the rest of my life. I shall not hide my care for you, as you should not hide your care for me. But this is not the time for us to make something of it. We both have—duties."

"Duties?" echoed Harry.

"Yes. You have a duty to the Wizarding world, and I… have a duty to my son."

"Drake?" Harry blinked in confusion.

"He's still a child," intoned Severus. "See how violently he rejected the mere thought of my loving you? He needs you, Harry, to be his comrade, not his father."

Harry looked down, knowing in his heart that everything Severus said was true.

"But I… I want to be with you," he mumbled.

Severus brushed a tear from the boy's cheek. "You will be," he said. "We will be by each other's sides. And I think… I think our love is strong enough to let us find happiness even if we are not together."

Harry smiled sadly. In his heart, he knew that this was true also. "Til Voldemort's gone and Draco's grown up, then," he whispered.

"Yes," nodded Severus. "Til then."

"Hold me?" breathed Harry pleadingly.

Wordless, Severus pulled the boy up onto the couch, and into his arms. Harry's head settled on his shoulder, hot tears soaking his robes at a slowing rate.

A sad silence settled in the room, but in their hearts the two men knew they would be fine. They were not separated, and they loved each other deeply, and just then… Just then, that was all that mattered.

The peaceful reverie was broken by a loud pop, and then the door from the Apparating room was thrown open.

"Well well well," drawled a voice that Severus would never fail to recognize. "What have we here?"

Jumping off the couch, Severus shielded Harry with his body protectively, and turned to find himself face to face with Lucius Malfoy.

**

* * *

RF's NOTE:** So that's kinda resolved for now… if you don't quite like it, still, have a little faith in me, ok? And tell me what you think? **Tell me what you like! Tell me what you don't like!** The review doesn't have to be long, it just has to **BE.**

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_THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! _Remember, **your reviews inspire me, **so please take a minute to tell me what you think. Thanks!


	19. The Quiet Before The Storm

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** This is gonna be based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring", sorta. Eventual HPSS, though SSBW (Bill Weasley) and LMBW implied, and HPTB (Terry Boot) along the way. Back when Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him and this wish made him unfindable. No one who has the purpose of finding him will do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find what happens!

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**RF's Apology: **I realize I don't update too often, and I'm really sorry for the longer-than-usual delay in getting this chapter written. I went on an almost week-long trip, and I guess it kinda set back my story-development. I'm really sorry! I'll make it up to you, really!

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Previously: **

**Ch. 6: **"So," said Harry. "Why'd you take me as your apprentice? It can't be for my lack of magical skills."

Snape looked at the boy like he was insane. "The potion you made for me was better than the one I'd invented myself. It took me _months_ to invent mine. Took you minutes. What do you call that but an obvious magical skill and an uncanny talent at Potions?"

"Oh," blushed Harry. "That... I could teach you to be like that. You just need to open up and listen."

…

**Ch. 14:** Lupin extended his hand in silent greeting, and Harry grasped it, testing the man's firm grip. His eyes met Lupin's and delved into him. For a long moment they were still.

Finally Harry looked away. "You have moons in your eyes," he said quietly.

…

**Ch. 18:** A sad silence settled in the room, but in their hearts Harry and Severus knew they would be fine. They were not separated, and they loved each other deeply, and just then… Just then, that was all that mattered.

The peaceful reverie was broken by a loud pop, and then the door from the Apparating room was thrown open.

"Well well well," drawled a voice that Severus would never fail to recognize. "What have we here?"

Jumping off the couch, Severus shielded Harry with his body protectively, and turned to find himself face to face with Lucius Malfoy.

**Chapter 19**

"Drop your wand," growled Snape. "Drop it, Malfoy, you're outnumbered."

The tall man's gaze lazily traveled to Harry. "I don't think that idiot has his wand," he drawled. "That makes us even."

Snape stifled a groan at Harry's sheepish look.

To make up for his mishap, Harry stuck out his arm and Lucius' wand was torn from his hand, flying right into Harry's. Harry quickly used this wand to Accio his own. "I'm not all that useless," he pouted.

Stunned, Lucius followed Snape's silent direction, and stood against a wall. After a brief glance into his eyes, Harry could tell that the man was trying to keep up his cold façade and not let his fear come through. This was obviously not something he expected when he Apparated in.

With a bored air about him, Lucius struck a nonchalant pose. "Why… you're still alive, Master Snape?" he drawled snidely.

"I see that you are also alive, _for now, _Master Malfoy," spat Snape in return.

**(RF's note: cookie to anyone who recognizes the above two lines of dialogue. You probably need to be Russian, or know Russian movies, to be able to.)**

Lucius paled, and Harry felt a sudden bout of sympathy toward him. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

The blond man fidgeted and an unexpected blush of embarrassment emerged on his cheeks. When he looked into Harry's eyes, his gaze was almost defiant, and his voice more than a little annoyed. "Well, it's my _wife_, you see. Snape here was working on a painting of her before he – well, before we _thought _he kicked off…"

Lucius' speech was interrupted by a snort of derisive laughter from Severus, and then another. "Are you saying," said the man between snorts, "that your wife _nagged _at you until you caved and came here to try to get an _unfinished painting_?"

"Uh…" Lucius' face was rapidly approaching a beet red color. "Yes, well… she thought there was no danger, you see, uh… yes, it was something of that… sort." He drew himself up and tried to look dignified.

Snape's laughter merged into a look of boredom. "All right, let's get this idiot tied up," he said. "Harry, this is a good practice opportunity for you. Although we could use a simple binding spell, I want you to conjure some rope for us and then I'll show you how to charm it to bind our…prisoner. We'll talk about the advantages of such a move later."

Harry nodded, feeling rather uncertain about himself. No spell was coming to mind. "Okay…um…" he waved his wand, "uh… Rope!"

Snape's eyebrows quirked questioningly when nothing happened.

Harry hung his head. "Um… _Ropa_?" he uttered hopefully.

Lucius let out a bark of laughter. "I see you've got quite the Boy Wonder there, Severus, dear," he drawled.

Harry growled. Dropping his wand, he set his hands out, palms up. A band of light streamed from his left palm and wrapped neatly around his right, solidifying into a simple rope. "Here you go," he sighed dejectedly, not at all cheered by this accomplishment. He knew he just underwent a real failure. In a battlefield, he could be dead now.

It was at this moment that Draco burst excitedly into the room, blissfully unaware of the danger he was walking into. The door he waltzed in through was within the wall that Lucius stood against, and, as such, he came to a stop a mere few feet away from him, not noticing the man. "Guess what!" he exclaimed.

Fast as lightning, taking advantage of the fact that Harry's and Snape's attentions were divided between himself, Draco, and the rope, Lucius sprang toward the boy he knew to be his son. Grabbing him from behind, he got hold of the boy's wand and jabbed it painfully into his ribs, securely holding him close.

Harry and Severus froze, stunned by this sudden coup. Draco whimpered softly. "What's going on?" he mumbled.

"Be quiet!" hissed Lucius coldly. "All right. Now, here's how it's going to be. You will give me my wand, and grant me safe passage into the Apparition room and out of it. Then I will let the boy go. If you try _anything_," he shot Harry a look dripping with hatred, "I _will _kill the brat."

Snape's shoulders slumped with defeat. "Fine," he whispered, voice shaking with fear for his son, "I give you my Wizard's word."

Harry nodded, tossing Lucius his wand, "I do the same."

Catching the rod, Lucius threw his captive bodily across the room toward the two men, backed into the Apparition room, and with a frantic "pop" was gone.

A heavy silence filled the room. Draco sat on the floor ashamedly. "I'm sorry, Father," he mumbled. "I should have been on guard."

Mutely, Severus embraced him.

Harry rubbed his forehead, knowing for certain that he should have done better.

"Oh," said Draco after a minute. "The reason I'm even here," he explained. "Professor McGonagall sent me to tell you – Hagrid's back."

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

With Snape in tow, Harry walked into the Headmaster's office.

"'Arry? Is that you? My goodness, it is you! Oh Harry!"

Only the steeliest self-control allowed Harry to stifle his scream of fright when he was suddenly rushed and enveloped in a body-crushing hug by a _very _large man."

"Um… you must be Hagrid," he squeaked out.

"Yes… yes, 'arry, that is my name," nodded Hagrid when he finally let the boy go and pulled out a huge spotted handkerchief to wipe away his tears of joy. "Oh, Harry…" he blew his nose expressively. "I known ye since ye was just a little baby. So tiny I could hold ye in the palm of me hand and ye wouldn't even reach me fingers." Hagrid sniffled.

"Yes, yes," drawled Snape, settling down in his favorite chair, "that is all very nice, but we don't have time to dawdle around."

"I'm afraid Severus is right, my boy," added Dumbledore. "You will have time to talk with Harry later."

The giant man nodded. "Right you are," he said, attempting to compose himself.

"For those of you who don't know," continued the Headmaster, addressing mostly Harry and Lupin, "for the past few months Hagrid has been away on a mission, finding out whether Voldemort (Hagrid gave a great sobbing shudder at the sound of the name) has been recruiting magical creatures. Hagrid, why don't you tell us what you found out."

Hagrid sighed. "I got ter you, Professor Dumbledore, sir, it's bad. Far as I know, the giants have completely joined You-Know-Who, and many other folk are thinkin' on it too. And, eh…" he leaned closer to the Headmaster, whispering loudly, "some of them leaders might be acting under the--" he shivered, "_imperius_."

From within the shadows where Snape sat, a groan was emitted. "This is bad," explained Severus to Harry's quizzical gaze. "This is very bad. If things come to war – the bastard will have a real army."

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"'arry? Oi, Harry?"

Harry paused on his way from Dumbledore's office, and turned to face the giant. "Yeah, Hagrid?" Already he was feeling a great deal of affection toward the large but surprisingly sensitive man.

"I, uh…" Hagrid's bushy face turned a dark shade of red. "I've got something fer ya, Harry. I heard yer back, and, well after yer parents had passed away, I… sent owls ter their old school friends, thinking you might like ter have it someday, and… well… here." He fished something out of his extensive pockets and thrust it into Harry's hands.

"Thank you, Hagrid," managed Harry, but the man was already walking away, blushing like a schoolboy.

Harry looked down. In his hands was a handsome, leather-covered book. He opened it, and froze. From every page, someone who could only be his father and mother were looking at him.

His knees gave out, and he sat down in a corner of the hallway, looking through page after page of wizard pictures. There were photos of his mother's emerald eyes, so like his own, of her laughter, of his father ruffling his messy hair, of scenes that showed so obviously how much they cared for each other…

Tears streamed, unnoticed, down Harry's face.

Then something caught his eye - a picture of four boys laughing and kidding around, one of them his father, the other three unknown to him. He looked closer and closer at the shot. One of the three, a boy with a mild gaze and light brown hair, looked more familiar with each passing moment… Suddenly Harry gasped. "Moons… There are moons in his eyes," he whispered. Without another thought, he sprinted down the hall.

Five minutes later he burst into the office of a very worried-looking Professor Lupin.

"You have moons in your eyes," gasped out Harry to the startled man. "I don't know what that means, but you have moons in your eyes, and so does he." – he held up the photograph, – "this is you, isn't it? You knew my parents!"

Remus Lupin sighed heavily, and, unexpectedly, embraced the boy, holding him close. "Yes," he said softly. "I will tell you all about your parents, and what the moons in my eyes mean, but right now," – he looked solemnly into Harry's eyes – "right now you may have bigger things to worry about."

Harry stared at him, not understanding. All excitement went out of him when he realized how grave his professor looked.

"What is it?" he whispered, suddenly deathly afraid of the answer.

Remus shook his head sadly. "Severus has been summoned."

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Harry resolved not to cry. He resolved not to cry, to be strong for the man he loved.

Seeing Severus in the Infirmary nearly undid that resolve. Potions and weird instruments littered every surface in the spacious room. A sheet of parchment lay on the table near the man's bed. On it, like on the little green screen in Muggle movies, a continuous row of jagged pulses ran, and Snape's vitals were displayed – heart rate, pressure, and some other numbers Harry didn't recognize.

"Sev'rus?" whimpered Harry. "What's going on here?"

Snape sighed. "Come here, child," he said. "Sit with me."

Harry walked closer confusedly, lowering himself onto the bed. "Professor Lupin… he told me to call him Remus… he said you got summoned by… you're here though, so it's okay, right? You're fine."

Snape closed his eyes momentarily. "I wish it were that simple, Harry," he whispered.

"What is _it_?" asked Harry softly. He felt so tiny… so helpless.

"The Dark Lord has access to me through the Mark on my arm," said Severus. "He summoned me, undoubtedly, to give me a chance to beg for his forgiveness, to swear under _veritaserum_ that I'll work for him and him alone, and to tell him every single secret the Headmaster entrusted me with. Lucius must have brought his attention to the fact that I'm still alive. When I don't show…" a lump formed in Snape's throat, and he swallowed with great difficulty. "When I don't show up," he stated quietly, "he will torture me through the Mark. He will torture me, until I either come to him… or go insane and die from the pain."

Harry froze.

He felt his whole world crash around him.

"No…" he whispered, eyes wide with terror. "No… there must be something we can do."

Snape's voice was stern. "Poppy and Dumbledore will do everything they can," he said. "They may have a chance of freeing me from him, or healing me over and over until he grows bored. Or… they can make my… passage... as painless as possible."

Harry shook his head. "No," he mumbled. "No, this isn't happening, I… Oh God."

Wordless, he laid his head on Snape's chest and cried.

Five minutes later, when he met Snape's gaze again, his eyes were clear, his emotions tightly in check. "How long do you think you have?" he asked.

Snape shrugged. "It depends on how patient he is," said he. "It may be ten minutes… or two hours…or five."

Harry nodded. "You're not dying, Sev'rus," he whispered. "Not again. I won't let you. I promise you that."

Snape knew the promise was futile, but he smiled nevertheless.

"I know," he said. It was a lie.

"Right now, the thing I hate the most is the wait," he continued. "I wish I could do something. Brew a potion. Something. Or I wish it would just… start."

Harry nodded. "I think I may know a way to help that." He got up and turned, to find Draco standing uncertainly in the doorway.

"Harry?" asked the boy. "What's going on?"

Harry smiled sadly. "I'll let you guys talk a bit. I'll be right back." With that, he ran out of the room.

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

When Harry came back 15 minutes later, Draco was wiping tears, but the atmosphere in the room seemed calm.

"Okay," said Harry, trying to sound cheerful. "Drake, please, if you would enlarge the bed? We are going to have a lesson." With that, he brought out from behind his back a pot of planted daisies in full bloom, and proudly presented it to the father and son.

The two men stared at Harry like he was crazy.

He pouted. Wordlessly, Draco complied, enlarging the bed and climbing onto it to curl up next to Severus.

"Okay!" exclaimed Harry, climbing up the other side of Snape. "Now." He fixed his master with a look. "A few months ago I told you I would teach you to be open in Potionmaking, like I am. Today is your first lesson, and if you do well you'll get a cookie later."

Warily, Snape nodded, and Harry took on a more serious look. "The key to this," he said, "is to simply let the plants and herbs that you've got tell you what they're good for."

Severus furrowed his brow. "Tell me?"

Harry nodded. "Remember how I listened to you a couple times? Listened to your soul? It's like that. Plants are simpler, though, so when you listen into them, you will hear their magical and medicinal properties. If you get real good at it, you can even interact with them, and build potions together."

Draco looked skeptical, but a spark of life was appearing in Snape's eyes. "It does not sound easy," said he.

Harry nodded. "It's not. I found out from one of the books the Headmaster gave me that apparently, as White Mage" – he cringed – "I have an innate talent for it, a connection with nature. But that doesn't mean it's impossible for you to reach my level – just a bit a harder."

Harry directed his gaze at Snape. "Severus, for you it would be easier than for most, because you are already a Potions Master, with quite an extraordinary talent."

Snape felt himself blush, and Draco giggled at him. It was good to laugh.

Harry smiled. "But!" he exclaimed. "I am getting ahead of myself. Baby steps. Baby steps, I say, is what we shall start with. Now…"

He placed the pot of daisies on the bed before his two skeptically eager students. "What is this plant?"

"It's a bunch of daisies," stated Draco confidently. Severus nodded in agreement.

"And how do you know that?" asked Harry.

"Well, the shape of the flower, the leaves, the coloration…"

Harry nodded. "Indeed. Okay." He swirled his hand in the air above the pot, and the plants changed shape. "What is it now?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Draco shrugged sheepishly.

"It's nettle," put in Severus.

"Excellent," said Harry. "But… " His face took on a solemn expression. "Here is the key question. Did I just _remove _the glamour charm that _was _on this plant… or _put _one on it?"

Draco's eyes widened. "Oh man!" he exclaimed. "That's tricksy!"

Severus chuckled, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. "We don't know," he said finally. "Not without touching it or checking it for charms."

Harry nodded. "Exactly. You don't know – not visually. So what I want you to do is reach out to it – mentally – reach out and try to figure it out, from its magical signature. I will not give you specific guidelines for this. Just clear your minds, reach out to this object, and try to hear what it is saying."

Snape nodded, closing his eyes. Draco followed suit.

"I will say one thing, though," said Harry softly. "Do not concentrate and tense up. Rather, relax. Let the feelings flow."

For a few long minutes, silence reigned. Draco's face was twitching, Harry noted, and he was having trouble staying focused on the task. Severus, however, was motionless. Harry observed them quietly.

It was Snape who spoke first. "It's nettle," he said softly.

Harry nodded quietly, and Draco gasped. "How'd you know?" he asked, gazing at his father in wonder.

Severus' cheeks took on a rosy hue. "I imagined… putting its roots into a Shrinking Solution, and I thought I felt it... react negatively. Vibrate negatively or something. Then I imagined putting it into a Boil-Cure potion, and I felt it reach toward me and…" he hesitated, not knowing how to explain the strange feeling.

"…smile at you," finished Harry.

The older man blinked, and then looked tenderly at his apprentice. "Yes," he agreed. "It smiled at me."

The lesson was over. Harry put the plant away and dimmed the lights in the room. When he settled back onto the bed, Severus found his hand and squeezed it briefly. "Thank you, Harry," he whispered. "I truly learned something today."

Harry's tender smile warmed every corner of the man's heart.

A peaceful quiet settled over the Infirmary, as Harry and Draco snuggled up to the man they loved and treasured with all their hearts, offering him their comfort.

Snape smiled as two different legs were piled on top of his, and two different heads rested on his shoulders. Two different hands met on his stomach, and, after a brief hesitation, joined together over the man's bellybutton.

All was silent.

Laying in the half-dark, Severus Snape mused about how different his feelings were toward the boys around him.

On his left shoulder lay Draco, his son, whom he treasured beyond anything else in this world.

On his right, lay Harry. A boy – a young man – so powerful, and yet so gentle. A boy who captured Severus' heart almost from the moment they met.

And here they were, the three of them together.

Severus knew then, that even if he was destined to die in agony in a mere few hours… he was still a damn lucky man.

Sighing softly, he held the boys – his boys – close.

…

He did not know how much time passed before he was brought out of a half-asleep state by a wave of pain spreading from his forearm.

His hiss – because he refused to groan – woke up Harry, and then Draco.

Instantly, they knew that this was it.

Another wave came, and then another, and another, each one more painful than the previous one. Snape clasped his hands over his mouth, stifling the screams.

Lights flared on, and Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore burst into the room, wands at the ready.

"Get them out!" growled Severus at them between groans. "Get the boys out, they don't need to see this."

"No!" exclaimed Harry. "No, I want to stay! I can help!"

The Headmaster's voice was pure steel as he steered the two teenagers toward the door. "Seeing your reaction to his pain would break him faster than anything Voldemort can throw at him. Stay out."

The doors swung shut behind Harry. In front of him, Draco's face was covered with tears.

Both paled and froze as a single bloodcurdling scream reached their ears.

Then they heard Dumbledore mutter a charm, and all was silent.

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**RF's note: **OH MAN! Quite a range of happenings, huh? Tell me what you think! **An Aside: **I'd like to clarify, that Harry will NOT cheat on Terry. He is not that kind of man, he would not do that. He will care for Terry as well as he is able.

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**_ATTENTION ARTISTS!_** I've been meaning to ask about this for a while, but I kept forgetting. If any of you artists out there feel inspired enough by this fic to draw/paint/doodle/etc some stuff based on it, please tell me! I would love to get some fanart based on this story. In particular, I'd love it if someone drew the gift that Severus gives to Harry in chapter 13, or a picture of Sev drawing the picture, and Harry asleep before the fireplace, as described in chapter 7. And in general, anything goes, anything you can think of that's remotely based on the story. Let me know if you're interested – leave a review, or email me at: raisinous.fiendling at gmail dot com. Thanks!

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_HUGE THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!_ I really hope that you continue enjoying the story. **Please **tell me if you do or don't… I love reviews, I totally live for them.

**fiend, OrionLuckyStar, Jack-Quaker, Black Perla, Lady AeTeRa, Touch of the Wind, hannah, Princess Star Neko, Naniwoiutennen, DestinyEntwinements, Briteiz41, limonade, tati1, Kateri1, HevenSentHellBroken, E.A.Saraby, TheSmallestGhost, Sliver of Melody, SilverDragonWings, Cut-Wrist Kate, Fae Child19, Lyla Snape, Ertis, Alexis8907, drarrysev, pUppetEEr-NiNja, Elsa, Adnexus, Airlady, PaddycakePadfoot, sporadic smile, Fire of the lioness, Lee, das eulchen, Serpent91, Flamegirl22, ri-chan05, angelkat2502, shirlchi, Coeur Casse, **and** Gillianne-Luna!**

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Please continue reviewing! Thanks a lot, really. You guys are great.


	20. His No Longer

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and there is implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** Based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring". Eventual HPSS, though Snape/Bill Weasley, Bill Weasley/Lucius Malfoy (implied), and Harry/Terry Boot along the way. When Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the Hogwarts letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him, and thus made himself unfindable. No one who had the purpose of finding him could do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find out what happens!

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**RF's WARNING:** This is a pretty darn DARK chapter, so be warned. There's a lot of mental and physical pain.

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**Previously:**

Snape clasped his hands over his mouth, stifling the screams.

Lights flared on, and Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore burst into the room, wands at the ready.

"Get them out!" growled Severus at them between groans. "Get the boys out, they don't need to see this."

"No!" exclaimed Harry. "No, I want to stay! I can help!"

The Headmaster's voice was pure steel as he steered the two teenagers toward the door. "Seeing your reaction to his pain would break him faster than anything Voldemort can throw at him. Stay out."

The doors swung shut behind Harry. In front of him, Draco's face was covered with tears.

Both paled and froze as a single bloodcurdling scream reached their ears.

Then they heard Dumbledore mutter a charm, and all was silent.

**Chapter 20: His No Longer**

Draco was shaking. Tears were streaming unstoppably down his face, and he was trembling feverishly; Harry found himself seriously worrying about the boy's mental health.

Draco whimpered. His teeth clattered violently as he slid down the nearest wall and buried his head between his knees. "I miss Dad," he muttered. "I'd never tell Father, but I miss him so much."

Harry furrowed his brow, sitting down next to Draco. In a corner of his mind, he wished guiltily that the boy hadn't told him this. He pushed the thought away and sighed, reaching out to rub Draco's back comfortingly. "Even…" he stumbled and tried again. "Even though he did such a terrible thing to Severus?"

Draco raised his tear-filled eyes to look at Harry. "Dad's a good man deep down," he whispered. "I… I have to believe he is."

The blonde looked down again. For a long moment, all was silent. "He used to hug me a lot," he mumbled finally. "He'd give me the best hugs…" His head came up and Harry saw a hint of hysteria in his eyes. "Who's going to hug me now?" whimpered Draco. "Who's going to hold me?"

Harry's heart ached with Draco's pain. Mutely, he embraced him. Resting his hand on the boy's head, Harry spoke with his soul, knowing that staying awake would be torture for both of them.

"Ginny," he said once Draco fell into a light doze.

The tiny redhead stepped out of a shadowed corner. "How'd you know I was there?" she asked.

"I could feel you," he said. "What are you doing here?"

She looked down. "I knew something bad was happening."

Harry's eyebrows quirked. "How?"

"Long story short?" She squirmed. "In my first year, Voldemort possessed me, using a diary," she said. "I did some bad things for him, terrible things. Luckily, Hermione figured it out, and… Well, Dumbledore took care of it. But ever since then…" she shuddered. "Well, when V-Voldemort does something horrible, I know. So, I came to see if I could help." She smiled sadly. "Gods, Harry, I can't imagine what you must be going through."

Harry shook his head. "I'll be all right," he said. "Will you take care of Draco for me?"

She nodded readily. Gently, Harry shook the boy awake. "Hey Drake?" he whispered soothingly, "You know Ginny, right? She's going to take you to your room and stay with you, okay?"

Mutely, the broken boy nodded.

A tear escaped Ginny's eye as she helped Draco up and led him away.

Harry smiled sadly after them. _Bless your heart, Ginny, _he thought tiredly. _Thank the gods for people like you._

Ten minutes later, they reached the boy's bedroom. Numbly, Draco climbed into bed.

Ginny sat down in a nearby chair when the boy whimpered softly. "Will you hold me?" he cried.

Nodding slightly, Ginny lay down next to him, pulling the covers over them and embracing the boy gently.

"You smell nice," Draco mumbled.

Ginny smiled, crying softly. "I'm a girl," she forced out through the tears. "That's kind of our job."

Draco sniffled. "I like girls," he mumbled, curling up into a tiny ball in her arms. "Everyone thinks I don't, because of my parents, but I do."

Ginny gave a weak chuckle, tightening her arms instinctively. "Sleep, kitten," she whispered, kissing the top of his head lightly. "There will be time to flirt with me later."

Snuggling closer, Draco slept.

Back in the Hospital Wing, Harry stared at the Infirmary doors for what seemed like hours, praying fervently that his master would be all right, until sleep finally claimed him too.

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"_He's passed out," announced Pomfrey desperately. "The bastard kept him awake for so long, but now his brain has finally shut down. And the pain keeps coming." She started crying. "Albus, I don't know what to do anymore." _

_Snape's form lay limply on the bloodied bed. He was unconscious. Even with the dozen restraints that were placed on him, his limbs were still thrashing weakly; the pain he felt had to be equal to a hundred 'Crucio's. His heart rhythm, displayed on the parchment by his head, was going completely haywire._

"_We can't give up, Poppy." Dumbledore's voice broke and he cleared his throat tiredly. "We have to keep healing him for as long as we can."_

_Madam Pomfrey's knees buckled and she crumbled to the floor. "We can't anymore," she cried. "Every one of his organ systems is failing, and whatever damage we heal is immediately replaced by even more. If the torture stopped, maybe we'd have a chance… but it isn't stopping, is it?" She wiped at her tears. _

_A moment of silence trickled by. _

"_Well, then," stated Dumbledore finally, "we owe it to him to make his passage painless."_

"_H-how?" Horror was written on Pomfrey's face. _

_Dumbledore looked down; a single tear trailed down his wizened face. "With an Unforgivable," he whispered. _

Harry jerked up, gasping for breath. Gods, the dream was so vivid, as if it were… "NO!" he yelled.

He got up hastily, running to bang his fists on the Infirmary door. "Let me in!" he yelled hysterically. "Let me in, damn it! Gods, they're going to kill him!"

"What's going on?" sounded a new voice. Lupin was walking towards him. "I was just coming to check up on you. What's happening?"

Tears streamed down Harry's face as he pleaded desperately, "You have to open this door, sir! You have to open it; they're going to kill Severus. Please!"

Lupin frowned. "Step back," he ordered. He yelled something, unintelligible to Harry's ears, and the doors were thrown open.

Harry rushed inside.

Dumbledore raised his wand above Severus' limp body. "Avada--"

"_NO!"_

Madam Pomfrey gasped as Harry rushed to his master's side, sending his senses scrambling inside him. A wave of protective fury rushed through Harry when he saw the extent of damage done to Severus. "What the hell have you been doing here? Playing cards?" he snarled, completely forgetting that he was speaking to a man ten times his age. His eyes blazed with power; in that moment, he was truly the White Mage, and he was terrifying.

With a great effort, Harry forced himself to calm down. "Oh God," he whispered, "what did the bastard do to him?"

"All of his organs are failing," cried Madam Pomfrey. "There was nothing we could do anymore."

"But Voldemort is targeting his nerves alone, isn't he? Everything else is failing because of that?" asked Harry distractedly. His senses were scrambling back and forth across Severus' body, exploring the extent of damage. "If I take care of that, if I block out the torture, will you be able to heal him?"

Dumbledore nodded. A spark of hope was appearing in his eyes. "Yes, my boy, I believe so."

Harry nodded, pulling out his wand. "Snake, can you get a message to the others? I need the staff." His wand came alive. The Snake stretched. --Sending the message now.-- She paused. --Lion is on his way.-- She hardened back into wand shape.

"Okay," said Harry, trying to think rationally. He turned to Dumbledore. "Is there an object that I can channel magic into endlessly without inflicting any damage?"

"I believe that's one of the less famous features of a Pensieve, Harry," supplied the headmaster.

Harry nodded curtly, making no attempts at civility. "Get one." Dumbledore swept out of the room.

Harry turned to the bed. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he placed the palm of his left hand on Severus' forehead. The man shuddered suddenly, and then lay completely still.

"What are you doing?" asked Madam Pomfrey, alarmed.

Harry's voice had an audible strain to it as he answered. "I'm… I don't know how to explain. It's like I'm coating his nerves and infusing his brain with my own magical essence. It's kind of like a shield. When…" he groaned with pain suddenly, "…when I'm done, Voldemort's magic – the pain – will go into me instead."

Pomfrey gasped. "But that's impossible," she whispered. "There are millions of nerve endings, how can you…"

"Please don't talk," ground out Harry. A moment later, he started screaming; his nerves burned with pain. Miraculously, he remained on his feet, forcing his entire being to concentrate on Severus.

A great lion burst through the doors, with a haggard-looking Dumbledore trailing in his wake. Panting heavily, Lion presented Harry with the White Mage's staff and disappeared into it.

"Set the Pensieve on the floor by my side," managed Harry between screams. Wordlessly, the headmaster complied.

Harry's arms and legs were shaking as he set the butt of his staff on the bottom of the Pensieve, leaning on it heavily. Immediately, a blacker-than-night substance seemed to ooze out of the staff and into the endless shimmering pool. Harry's screams abated, though he was still groaning with pain. "I'm…argh," he moaned, trying to stay focused, "I'm channeling the pain through myself into the…ungh, whatever it is." He could barely think. His head was swimming, his T-shirt soaked with sweat. He had to be aware of thousands of nerve endings all at once, to keep his magic tightly wrapped around them and, gods, it was excruciating.

The two adults stared at him in disbelief.

"Heal him, damn it!" Harry yelled, sitting down on the bed by Severus' side. Dumbledore blinked and sprung to work.

"Let me give you something for the pain," pleaded Madam Pomfrey.

"No! I have to stay completely lucid. God, just fix him, that's all I ask!" Insanity was creeping into Harry's voice. Hastily, the healer joined Dumbledore. Harry slumped down tiredly, but groaned when another flash of maddening pain coursed through him, forcing all his muscles to become taut as strings.

A litany of prayers poured out of Madam Pomfrey's mouth as she worked to save one life, worried she might soon be losing another. Harry would not be sane for long if he stayed like this.

The room was filled with Harry's groans as the adults worked desperately. Then, with a heavy gasp, Snape came awake. "What's going on?" he mumbled with a heavy tongue.

"Sev--ungh--Severus!" exclaimed Harry through another bout of pain.

Madam Pomfrey lowered her wand tiredly. "He'll be fine now," she whispered.

"What is going on?" demanded Snape again, coming fully awake. Harry smiled. Tears were streaming down his face. "You're ok now," he whispered. He could not spare thought enough for anything more.

Severus turned to the headmaster. "Albus--"

"Young Harry is channeling your pain, my boy," sighed Dumbledore.

"He--WHAT?" Snape turned to the bespectacled boy, taking in the pained mien, staff, and Pensieve. Harry was shaking uncontrollably. "Oh gods," whispered Snape. "Harry, you have to stop this now. It'll kill you."

"Better me than you," laughed Harry suddenly. Hysteria was evident in his voice. "Better me than you," he repeated, this time on a pleading note.

Severus stared at him in horror. "No… _No_, damnit," he ground out. "Harry, you are the Wizarding world's only chance. You're the White Mage! I'm just a man, Harry. You have to let me go."

The boy shook his head. "No," he whispered. "You're fine now. You're fine." He moaned with pain and clenched his jaw shut. He had to be strong.

"Harry, if you die, the bastard will go back to torturing Severus," put in Pomfrey. "He'll kill you both!"

"Poppy's right, my dear," said Dumbledore. "This isn't the way."

Harry laughed. He laughed hysterically, jumping off the bed and rocking back and forth on his heels. Within him, a battle was raging as he was trying to think, to think and not give in to the insanity that was slowly creeping into him. "Okay," he muttered through tears and pain, "Okay… okay, any minute now… um…"

His head snapped up. "Shields," he mumbled. A spark of clarity appeared in his eyes. "Shields," he repeated more confidently. "Is there a real strong shield that, when you hit it with a spell, it sends the spell back at the caster?"

Severus nodded. "Imagine a shield and say _'Repercutio'_," he supplied.

"Okay," whispered Harry, still rocking back and forth, "okay… just need to concentrate, just gotta concentrate…" he trailed off, mumbling unintelligibly, squeezing his eyes shut.

Suddenly Harry pointed his wand at Severus and yelled, _"Repercutio!" _

He felt the shields around his master's nerves change. Immediately, his own pain disappeared. "Okay," he said, "now when Voldemort--" he gasped suddenly and doubled over, clutching his forehead, as his scar flared up with pain. Only through a miracle was Harry able to concentrate enough to keep the shields up.

"Great," he moaned madly, "unexpected side effect. I feel the bastard's pain. That's just _great_." He groaned again.

Twice more his scar flared, and bled, until finally the pain was gone. Five minutes passed, and still the pain hadn't come back.

"He's realized the shield is reflective," whispered Harry finally, slumping down. "I think he's given up."

Carefully, disbelievingly, he let his concentration go. The shields dissipated.

Harry peered at Snape. "You all right?" he croaked.

"Yes," whispered Severus. "You?"

"No," sighed Harry. "I think I've gone crazy." His eyes flared up suddenly. Madam Pomfrey gasped as she saw the insane intensity in them.

"Harry, what is on your mind?" inquired Dumbledore. His wand was at the ready; he feared he might need to sedate the boy.

"This isn't over," said Harry stonily. "It will never be over, unless I do something."

"Harry…" Severus sat up, alarmed.

"Give me your arm," commanded Harry. An invisible force made Snape comply.

Harry let his senses delve into the Dark Mark. "It's there somewhere," he muttered half-coherently. "It has to be there, and if we can exploit it he'll have to let go."

Dumbledore and Pomfrey exchanged gazes. "Harry…" They moved towards him, but the same invisible force held them at bay.

"The Dark Mark," snapped the boy impatiently. "Somewhere in there, a strand of Voldemort's essence is lodged. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to call his servants. I just need to find it…"

"And do what?" asked Snape, more than a little scared. Harry didn't answer.

"There," he said finally. "There he is. The bastard." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Severus. This is going to hurt." Without a moment's hesitation, he exchanged his staff for his wand, and made a deep wide gash in his master's arm.

Snape hissed with pain. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I had to expose it." The boy wasn't making sense.

"What do you…?" Severus found himself trailing off as his apprentice closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For a moment, all was silent.

Harry pointed his wand at the wound in Severus' arm. "Lie still," he whispered. His eyes flickered to the ceiling. "And God forgive me," he whispered. "_Crucio!_"

Madam Pomfrey stifled a cry as Harry's scar split open and started bleeding. The boy groaned with pain. "Well, at least we know it's working," he gasped out. "_Crucio!_"

"Harry, what are you…?"

"Damn it, I'm hurting Voldemort!" snapped Harry. "A part of his essence is in Sev's mark and I can hurt him through it. You can bloody expel me later. I have to make him let go. _Crucio!_" He could feel Voldemort's rage. Laughter was bubbling inside him. _That's right, bastard, I'm winning,_ he thought madly. "_Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!_"

And suddenly it was over. Voldemort's strand dislodged from the Dark Mark, snaked away, and was gone.

Harry stared, feeling suddenly empty. He felt his mind finally go into shock. "Heal him and get the mark out," he managed. "It's nothing but a picture now."

With a wave of Dumbledore's wand, the wound and the drawing were gone.

Three pairs of eyes stared at Harry in amazement.

Harry placed his hand on Severus' arm where the mark had been.

Snape gasped as a surge of warmth went through him, penetrating him to the core.

Harry pulled his hand away. In the crook of his master's elbow a tiny lightning-bolt shaped scar was visible. "You're mine now," whispered Harry to the stunned onyx gaze. "You're mine."

Then the boy swayed, and darkness took him.

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**RF's note: **So that was kind of intense…. Please, tell me what you think.

**_ATTENTION ARTISTS!_** If any of you artists out there feel inspired enough by this fic to draw/paint/doodle/etc some stuff based on it, please tell me! I would love to get some fanart based on this story. In particular, I'd love it if someone drew the gift that Severus gives to Harry in chapter 13, or a picture of Sev drawing the picture, and Harry asleep before the fireplace, as described in chapter 7. And in general, anything goes, anything you can think of that's remotely based on the story. Let me know if you're interested – leave a review, or email me at: raisinous.fiendling at gmail dot com. Thanks!

**_HUGE THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!_** Thank you for feeding my review-addiction. I hope you keep doing it!

**Briteiz41, Alexis8907, Fae Child19, Coeur Casse, TheSilentQuill, TheSmallestGhost, DestinyEntwinements, Gillianne-Luna, hittocerebattosai, Sliver of Melody, PaddycakePadfoot, hadaniko, Serpent91, Touch of the Wind, Fire of the lioness, Cut-Wrist Kate, angelkat2502, fiend, lee, IceprincessIsis3, HevenSentHellBroken, Black Perla, hannah, DaughterofDeath, tati1, Mimiheart, Amethyst Snape, Tammy C, Isabel, Sylva Nightwolf, Naniwoiutennen, jahacopo2221, **and** Toki Mirage!**

Thank you guys so much! 

Do let me know what you think of the chapter! Thanks!


	21. Morning After

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing you recognize.

**WARNING:** This WILL EVENTUALLY be SLASH, meaning Male/Male relations, and there is implied MPREG, meaning Male Pregnancy.

**SUMMARY:** Based on the novel "Girl With A Pearl Earring". Eventual HPSS, though Snape/Bill Weasley, Bill Weasley/Lucius Malfoy (implied), and Harry/Terry Boot along the way. When Harry was 11, his aunt convinced him that the Hogwarts letters he was getting were from bad people who wanted to kill him. So he wished they never find him, and thus made himself unfindable. No one who had the purpose of finding him could do so. Now Harry is 16, and totally oblivious to the magic world. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise. And Severus Snape finds himself practically on Harry's doorstep. Read on to find out what happens!

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**RF's Note: **Wow!! Been a long time, huh? Well… I guess I'm back, at least for a little bit.

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**Previously: **

"Damn it, I'm hurting Voldemort!" snapped Harry. "A part of his essence is in Severus' mark and I can hurt him through it. You can bloody expel me later. I have to make him let go. _Crucio!_" He could feel Voldemort's rage. Laughter was bubbling inside him. _That's right, bastard, I'm winning,_ he thought madly. "_Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!_"

And suddenly it was over. Voldemort's strand dislodged from the Dark Mark, snaked away, and was gone.

---

Harry pulled his hand away. In the crook of his master's elbow a tiny lightning-bolt shaped scar was visible. "You're mine now," whispered Harry to the stunned onyx gaze. "You're mine."

Then the boy swayed, and darkness took him.

**Chapter 21: Morning After**

Coming back to consciousness was not an easy task. Severus shifted slightly, willing his body to come awake, and made a mental note to make his Dreamless Sleep potion less potent. Then again, it probably wasn't the Dreamless Sleep that made him feel vaguely as though a horde of centaurs had trampled over him with vicious delight.

Yes, he reflected. His whole body throbbed with each heartbeat, and felt just barely—taut, like a robe tailored just a bit too snugly. His flesh had been re-healed and re-generated a thousand times over during the night, and it felt slightly new, unused and in need of being broken in. He tried to stretch, and his muscles only reluctantly complied.

He opened his eyes to an infirmary coated in deep shades of grey that told him it was almost dawn. Lifting his arm was a hard task, but he managed, straightening his elbow as he reached towards the ceiling, fingers outstretched. He flexed his hand, and thought he could almost hear the joints creak.

"Strange, right?"

Severus started at the barely audible sound, his head whipping to the side with a vicious crack, in search of the speaker.

"It's sort of like you bought shoes one size too small, isn't it? Except that the shoes are actually your body."

Harry sat huddled on the floor in the darkest corner of the room. In the pre-dawn gloom his face looked ashen, and his eyes held a wild, haunted look. Severus thought the boy might be shaking slightly.

"Yes," he agreed carefully, speaking at a whisper. "Sort of like that. How do you…?"

One bony shoulder moved up in a crooked shrug. "I guess I had some damage. Madam Pomfrey fixed it." His voice was distant, his words coming as though from miles away, and Severus felt inexplicably frightened by their lack of warmth.

"Ah," he said, wishing Harry would come closer.

Silence reigned for several long minutes, as Harry stared into nothing, and Severus stared at Harry.

"Like what you see?" Harry finally whispered hoarsely, his eyes falling closed. There was something hating, demeaning in his manner, and Severus bristled for a long moment before realizing the hatred was not directed at him.

"Harry−"

"Don't; I know. I'm a monster."

The boy _was_ shaking, shudders racking his body in a haunting, precise pattern, twice in each space between Severus' heartbeats. Suddenly he rose, swiftly, with an agility that was belied a moment later when he stumbled and almost fell in his eagerness to get to the door. "I'll leave," he said. "You don't deserve putting up with a madman. Don't worry. The staff can train me. I'll fulfill my destiny."

He picked up his staff, and the Lion rose out of it, supporting his master in the arduous journey towards the door, past long rows of empty beds.

Severus froze. His eyes widened.

"You wish to leave Hogwarts?" he blurted to the boy's retreating back.

A slight nod, or were his eyes playing tricks? Harry didn't slow.

"Harry," Severus whispered. "Harry!"

The boy urged the Lion to go faster. Severus made to move, to catch him, but his body did not wish to serve him.

_HARRY!_

Harry stumbled, and Severus hoped against hope that he had heard his soul's desperate plea.

_Stay,_ he chanted in his mind. _Stay, Harry. I need you._

Suddenly the Lion disappeared, Harry's slow journey coming to a shaky halt. He turned around. "I shouldn't even be hearing that," he whispered. "But I am. How could you stand to be around me?"

"I trust you," said Severus. "Please. At least, let us talk."

He watched in silence as Harry made his slow progress back towards his bed, finally perching in a chair by Severus' side.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. After a moment, Severus realized the boy was looking at the crook of his elbow. "I'm sorry," Harry said again. "I'm just like Voldemort." He was shaking again.

Severus looked down, touching the tiny mark lightly. It felt warm. "Is this what's been troubling you?" he asked gently.

Harry gave a harsh laugh, hugging himself as he rocked back and forth ever so slightly. "Partly, yeah. There's also the complete insanity, hysteria, and random urges to torture people."

The Potions master shook his head. "Have you felt an urge to torture anyone besides the Dark Lord?"

Harry shuddered. "No, but−"

Severus pressed on. "Did you use an Unforgivable because you wanted to, or because you thought it necessary for my sake?"

Harry looked down. "Both," he whispered.

"Truly?"

He could see a flurry of emotions running through the boy's hunched over form. "I… I…" Harry stumbled for words.

"I didn't think so. You are unstable, Harry…" The Potions master paused thoughtfully. "…But I do not think there is evil in you; not any more than in an average wizard."

Harry breathed out; a long, deep breath, of what Severus hoped was relief. "You know, they say Merlin was ruthless. The ends justify the means and all that. Guess I'm his successor for sure."

"Was there ever a doubt?"

A pause. "Yes."

Severus winced, wondering what it would take to help the boy believe in himself.

"Harry, do you understand where the power of the White Mage comes from?"

Harry shrugged. "Owl says, I have power because I've got a little bit of every single thing inside me, and that gives me a unique connection with the world."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "But do you understand what that means?"

"Um…"

"It means that you are composed of every single element, every being, every tendency, desire, weakness, and strength, that is present in the world. And I would think," he paused significantly, "that that does not lend itself to stability and peace of mind."

"But I've never had trouble before!" Harry smacked his knee in frustration. "I've always had control."

"Yes," Severus agreed again, noting in relief that the shaking was gone. "But, you've never been under pressure this dire before."

"But now… but now…" Harry struggled for words. "Now I feel like I might do something mad any second! It's like all my control's been shattered, all! It wasn't a once-only thing."

--Yes. Thus, you must train.--

Severus jumped at the voice that came seemingly from inside his head. Harry looked at him suspiciously. "You heard that?" he queried.

--We respect the position of this man in your life, as your master. And so, we let ourselves be heard.-- With these words, the Badger ambled out of the great staff, settling himself on Severus' bed.

--In the ancient times it was said that a wizard only comes into his true power through a trial by fire and agony. You have withstood agony. You are truly, now, the White Mage. And now, you must train in control and mastery of your gift.—

"You are saying he did not have his full powers prior to the, ah… incident?" Severus asked.

--Yes. Trials are crucial to the maturity of the White Mage.--

Harry nodded, a spark of hope appearing in his eyes. "So… I feel out of control because I have lots more power in me?"

"I believe so."

"So…" the boy fell silent for a long minute. "…So I'm not evil?" he blurted finally.

Badger eyed him calmly. --We do not concern ourselves with such things.-- And he was gone.

Harry blinked, then sighed. "That was abrupt. You know, it's sort of like I got myself five more meddlesome but loveable old men. Er, I guess some of them are women."

Severus chuckled, then grew serious. "Understand this, Harry. In you, all parts are equal. You will never be evil, unless you wish to be."

After a moment's silence, the boy nodded.

"Um… is it okay if I… listen to you again?" A sheepish smile graced his lips. "I'm sort of not quite sure what that mark actually… does."

Even as he raised his eyebrow coolly, Severus felt his heart jump, remembering the sweet feeling of the boy's explorations. "Yes," he whispered, suddenly hoarse.

Tentatively, Harry took his hand, and Severus gasped as tendrils of warmth shot up his arm, then focused on the crook of his elbow. He felt as though he was tickled lightly, and struggled not to twitch.

After a moment, Harry let out a long breath. "It's okay," he murmured. "It can let me know if you're in danger, and you can call me through it if you'd like. It sort of lets me monitor your well-being a little, but that's about it."

Severus nodded vaguely, struggling to concentrate on the boy's words as the warmth stroked and lapped at the sensitive skin around the mark. Then, slowly, it began to withdraw, and he whimpered with the loss.

"I… I don't have to stop," Harry whispered, his palm growing sweaty in Severus' burning grip.

As the tendrils kissed the skin of Severus' wrist, all he could say was, "Yes. Don't stop."

Warmth surged up his arm, fast, hot, needy… Then Harry took a breath, and time seemed to slow down as the caress simmered down to barely a trickle… a trickle which, nevertheless, felt more intimate than anything he'd ever felt.

Severus shivered. It was as if gentle palms were sliding over his skin, so softly, barely touching, making the hairs on his arms stand on end. He gasped as the sensitive flesh above his collarbone was traced gently, and then more firmly. He squirmed as gentle fingers ran down his chest, growing hotter as they circled the hard nubs that had been paying rapt attention ever since Harry's hand had first touched his.

A gentle, but firm, hand trailed to rub hot circles over Severus' stomach, and he sucked in a breath as another seemed to caress his cheek, trace his nose, eyebrows, lips, ever more lightly…

The touch grew more vague, warmth spreading over Severus' body, no longer hands but a blanket of comfort, soft and heavy, lapping at his skin like waves at the shore.

With his last shred of consciousness, he lifted his head slightly to look at the boy by his side. Harry's head was pillowed on his arms; he seemed to be dozing slightly, on the edge of deep sleep. Severus smiled.

"Sleep well, my savior," he whispered, and let sleep overtake him.

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**RF's note 2:** Many thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story! I really appreciate it. Your reviews have been wonderful, especially during my acute-writer's-block times. I haven't written in many months, so… go easy on me with this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.

I'm deeply grateful to all the reviewers… Am too sleepy right now to list you all, but I'll be sure to do that next time.

Don't forget to R&R! Thanks!


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